YOUTHS have been issued with 'acceptable behaviour contracts' in a move aimed at tackling nuisance.

For months residents in Harle Syke have been suffering from gangs of young people disrupting traffic, throwing stones and being abusive.

Now police have a list of more than 20 young people they plan to visit or write to and some have already been issued with 'acceptable behaviour contracts'.

It comes as officers issued a plea to parents to talk to their children about the dangers of fires following a spate of them being started in derelict buildings.

Residents had raised the nuisance issues at Briercliffe Parish Council who got in touch with community police officers in Burnley in a bid to try and tackle the issues.

Despite a relatively quiet spell, the problems began again over the half term holidays in February.

In a newsletter, a spokesman for the council said police had plans to use plain clothes officers and unmarked cars.

They were also considering putting in place a dispersal order, which is used to break up groups of two or more people if their presence has 'resulted in or is likely to result in members of the public being intimidated, harassed, alarmed or distressed'.

Residents have also been urged to contact police with the names of young people.

Cllr Roger Frost, who sits on Briercliffe Parish Council, said: "We have had lots of complaints. People have been coming to the parish council meetings with their concerns.

"It has been reported to the police and they have been very good.

"Some youths have been rounded up and parents talked to and it has become a lot better in the past week or two.

"They had been running in front of cars and a few residents had tried to intervene. They were throwing stones at windows and acting up in the streets, taunting residents.

"It was a few exuberant youths - nothing malicious was intended but it was annoying for residents."

Issuing a plea to parents, a police spokesman said: “Now it's lighter later, your kids probably want to go out more and meet up with their mates but do you know where they are going and what they are up to?

“We have had reports of youngsters entering derelict buildings and setting off fires.

“Some young people may think it’s fun and a bit of an ‘adventure’ but this kind of behaviour can lead them into dangerous situations.

“Please can you have a chat with your children and explain the dangers?

“We know that you can’t be with them all the time but by helping them understand the risk and potential consequences it might help prevent possible accidents. Thank you.”