A PETITION to try to reduce the number of youths drinking alcohol on the streets of Darwen will be considered by Blackburn with Darwen Council's executive board meeting in May.

Resident and campaigner Roy Davis, of Olive Lane, collected 377 signatures from people living in his neighbourhood after complaints about the amount of under under-age drinking in the area. He organised the petition with help from Whitehall ward councillor Karimeh Foster, in a bid to clean up the area of anti-social youths.

He said people were afraid to take their children to the playground and did not want to go to the bowling green because of youths hanging around drinking.

Mr Davis received a letter this week informing him that the crime and disorder unit of the council would be dealing with the petition and referring it to the executive member for regeneration, Coun Andy Kay. The executive will meet on May 13.