TEENAGE brothers who brought a ‘reign of terror’ to their community have been banned from entering an East Lancashire estate.

In the past four years Dylan Hibbert, 15, and his younger brother Scott, 14, have been arrested 35 times for offences including smashing up cars, throwing fireworks into drain pipes, swearing and spitting at members of the public.

But today residents on the Shadsworth Estate were celebrating after both boys were handed two year ASBOs at Blackburn Magistrates Court.

The boys, from Lamlash Road, Shadsworth, are now banned from acting or inciting others to act in anti-social behaviour, which includes making hand gestures, using abusive, intimidating, threatening or racist language, and being drunk in public.

The brothers are banned from an area which includes the Shadsworth estate, apart from a specific route to and from their home and have 8pm until 7am curfews.

PC Louise Briggs said that the boys had made residents’ lives a misery.

She said: "These two individuals have caused residents to live in fear and many of them were contemplating moving out of their homes because they couldn't deal with the abuse any longer.

"They targeted vulnerable people who lived on their own and trashed their gardens and threw paint onto their walls.

"It was a horrible situation and it was getting to the point where residents were considering taking matters into their own hands.

"Many of them were extremely frightened about the consequences of reporting the abuse.

“The community has been suffering for so many years at the hands of these two.

"This also sends out a strong message to others thinking about committing anti-social behaviour. The police will take a zero tolerance approach and they will be bought to justice."

The court heard that since an interim ASBO was enforced in April the youngsters have been separated. However, both boys have breached their ASBOs on a number of occasions.

Magistrate, Mrs Caddens, said: "Scott and Dylan you have behaved in a way that has upset and frightened people where you live and we are making this order to protect these people and we hope that you will abide by the conditions."

One resident who lives on the Shadsworth estate said that he had contemplated suicide as a result of the brothers behaviour.

He said: "These last few months have been wonderful and the residents feel safer and are even coming out of their homes speaking to each because we are not scared anymore.

"The boys made our lives absolutely miserable and I got to a really low point where I just couldn't cope with it anymore.."

Another residents on the estate, said: "It is great news as we no longer want to feel intimidated all the time.

"It has been a hard few years and we just want to put all the abuse, vandalism and violence behind us."

One of the boys has now moved out of the area as a result of the court proceedings.

A spokesperson for Twin Valley Homes, who owned the homes where the boys lived, said: "The orders have made a big difference to the area and we hope this will now continue.

"It has been extremely peaceful and quiet and people can now relax in their own homes.

"Since the boys have been taken out of the area people have been improving their gardens and those that were contemplating leaving are now staying. A great result."