LONG-SUFFERING residents today celebrated the decision to ban a teenager dubbed the "Pied Piper" of Darwen from their estate and said: 'We hope it works'.

Lee Taylor, who has also been prohibited from talking to the youngsters who live on Darwen's Ellenshaw Estate, and police today warned other young troublemakers that they could expect the same treatment.

Taylor, 15, is the first person in Lancashire to have the no-contact clause included in his Anti Social Behaviour Order.

Blackburn Magistrates made the order after police told them how they believed Taylor, who they dubbed the Pied Piper, had led many youngsters on the estate astray and on to the fringes of criminality.

Housing Association Twin Valley Homes had previously stated that the teenager had been a constant nuisance to residents on the Ellenshaw estate, where he does not live.

An argument from defence solicitor Ian Huggan that many of the alleged crimes were based on hearsay and had not resulted in criminal charges was rejected by the magistrates, who agreed with the police that many people were too afraid to be named for fear of reprisal.

Mr Huggan also claimed banning Taylor from the Ellenshaw estate would make it harder for his family to find a larger home.

But magistrates granted the order after Taylor admitted to the court that he was responsible for a theft from motor vehicle offence he was charged for last week and that he had breached his bail conditions over the weekend, causing him to be locked up until yesterday morning.

People on the Ellenshaw Estate refused to be named when asked about the trouble for fear of reprisals.

But one member of Ellenshaw Tenant's Association said: "It's a good thing to have but how is it going to be enforced?

"He wasn't the only one causing trouble on the estate, they were in a gang but he was the one they've made look bad.

"We've a lot of empty flats around here and the kids have nowhere else to go so they hang around them and that's one of the problems.

"This might make the lad worse than before as he's got a reputation everybody has given him now."

A resident on Ellenshaw Close near to empty flats said: "My daughter used to live there and in the space of three days the police were out three times because of the damage they've been causing -- smashing doors and letter boxes.

"I don't know if the same lad was involved in any of that. I live with my grandchildren here and I don't dare let them out, we're like prisoners in our homes."

A spokeswoman for the nearby Sudellside Community Centre said: "If the order does what it's suppose to do then all well and good but it might be really difficult to enforce.

"Gangs have been going round terrorising the estates around here."

Chairman of the bench, Mr Ashby told Taylor: "We are granting this order because you have failed to accept the help offered to you in the past.

"It is our opinion that you have caused the public to express concern about your anti-social behaviour but they do not wish to be named because they fear reprisals."

The terms of the order are that he:

Must not enter the Ellenshaw estate;

Must not talk to any youngster aged 16 or under from the estate in Darwen;

Be under the influence of drink or unprescribed drugs on any highway or public place in Darwen.

Detective Inspector Neil Hunter, who worked with the council and Twin Valley Homes to bring the order, said: "I am delighted that this anti social behaviour order has been granted.

"I am sure it will come as a great relief to the residents of Ellenshaw, an estate Taylor did not live on but one which he terrorised.

"We want it to send the message to troublemaking youngsters that we can take action against them, and that we will."