POLICE are calling on Chandler's Ford residents to name and shame teenage yobs who are terrorising the leafy suburb.

Gangs of up to 60 youths have been roaming the streets between Valley Park, Millers Dale and Hiltingbury, causing despair and destruction into the early hours of the morning.

Crimes reported in the latest wrecking spree include:

Uprooting trees from residents' gardens

Smashing fences and pushing over garden walls

Scratching cars and slashing tyres

Drinking from bottles of spirits on street corners

General intimidating behaviour

Now Eastleigh Police plan to clamp down on the rowdyism by targeting hotspots with extra patrols of officers and attempting to videotape crimes in progress.

They are also appealing to the public to come forward with any information which could help them catch the yobs - especially the names of culprits.

But a Chandler's Ford Tory councillor has slammed the idea, saying it will simply endanger residents.

John Hughes, Chandler's Ford councillor for Eastleigh Council, said residents could not be expected to name the culprits unless they had more protection from police.

He said: "I'm not in favour of the residents getting involved in naming and shaming - it'll just backfire on everybody. There's a danger of independent residents being set upon. The problem we've got at the moment is that there's no back-up for residents coming forward and speaking out because there aren't sufficient policemen to support them.

He added: "We need more police officers on the beat."

Inspector Kerry Macnamara said: "We need the local community to act as our eyes and ears by telling us where the crimes are taking place.

"This weekend we're going to make special efforts to try and identify those who are causing problems in the Millers Dale and Hiltingbury areas.

"As a result of that some parents will be contacted to let them know what their offspring are up to. I'm sure most parents will be horrified by what their children are up to. It's a respectable area and I'm almost certain parents would not condone the sort of activity we're seeing at the moment."