Winchester residents claim they are being terrorised by local children throwing crab apples at their homes.

People living in The Valley, Stanmore, say more than 200 apples have smashed into their flats during the last week.

Resident Chris Perry, 58, a social researcher on crime for the Home Office, told the Daily Echo: "People are frightened to go outside their homes. People fear they are trapped.

"One day there was a two-hour reign of terror. These children are out of control. The council is failing in its duty to protect the elderly from the fear of intimidating behaviour."

Many of the apples are being skewered onto sticks creating an even more dangerous hazard. So far no one has been hit but other residents spoke of their anguish.

A 68-year-old, who asked not to be named, said: "On Sunday it was hell. They are smashing into the windows and the doors and hitting the walls. You just don't know whether any are going to hit you.

"It has gone beyond a joke. We get this every year. Normally it happens with the school holidays. We have been on to the council and we want the trees chopped down."

A city council spokesman said the area housing manager, Dominic Amans, was due to speak to residents.

He said the council was reluctant to remove the trees. "All are quite mature and it is not our policy to chop trees down if they are mature. The problem doesn't happen all the year round," he added.

PC Kevin Hercock, the Stanmore beat officer, said: "We have been made aware that some elderly residents in The Valley are suffering from antisocial behaviour. We are working with local housing officers to bring the youth nuisance to their attention and find a solution."

Mr Perry believes such antisocial behaviour is getting worse in Winchester.

"The city is sliding downhill fast," he said. "This is only a small thing, but small things get bigger. I was born and brought up in Stanmore and there has been a rapid degradation from what I knew when I moved back eight years ago."

The issue will be raised at the next Stanmore Steering Group.