A FEARFUL resident has described a new youth shelter in Bourne End as '"an attraction for noise, drugs, drink and rubbish".

The scathing criticism of the shelter, which has been approved by Wooburn Green Parish Council, came in a letter to the Free Press this week.

The resident, who wants to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals, lives in Blind Lane, Bourne End, near to the site of the proposed youth hang-out, and wrote to express her anger.

She said that a survey had been carried out to ask residents if they thought it would be a good site for the youth shelter and virtually all of those living within earshot said "no".

She said the project would be a "nightmare" for residents who she says have already been plagued by youths causing trouble.

The woman added: "When the decision for a youth shelter was made we were having to put up with parked cars revving their engines, loud car stereos, bad language, rubbish thrown in our gardens, fighting, guitar playing and screaming (oh, I think that might have been singing) all into the early hours.

"On the few occasions, livid with the fact that I couldn't sleep yet again, I have gone outside and asked them to remove themselves from my drive and shut up.

"Always met with abuse, I wonder what the elderly feel... terrified I expect."

She added: "I bet I would get carted off if I stood outside making that kind of noise and leaving broken bottles and joint butts around."

The youth shelter was rubber-stamped by the parish council recently following a survey of residents a few years ago, which found that half of them were in favour of the site.

Parish councillor David Paul said: "Our concern is that we feel we want to provide this shelter for the youths but it is difficult to find a site.

"The youths want somewhere they can go and talk. They can go to the shop and get Munchies or whatever they call them, and meet up."

He said the shelter would be installed on a trial run and the situation would be reviewed at a later date.

Inspector Andy Kitchen of Marlow Police Station, which covers the Bourne End area, said they have had reports of youths carrying out anti-social behaviour.

However he said: "This is the whole point of having a youth shelter to provide somewhere for younger people to go."

He said similar projects in other areas had led to a reduction of 85 per cent in complaints about youth behaviour.