It is now or never for Hutton's problem ridden Tommy Wilson youth centre as Brentwood Council launches a last stand to make it a success.

The decision to give the green light for an urban arts project to go ahead as soon as possible came in the wake of news that children as young as 10 had been spotted outside the shelter hurling large bricks around.

This was spotted by Cllr Alan Davies, who said the group of youngsters scattered when they saw him but he collected the brick and showed it fellow councillors at the meeting of the cultural panel at Town Hall, Brentwood.

He said: "It was a very large and heavy one and certainly not the sort of thing children should be playing with.

"The youngsters was throwing it at the ground but I'm not sure if they were trying to break the brick or the concrete. Either way it is unacceptable and we have been told of many other problems including alleged drug use."

In September the council issued an ultimatum to the wrecks who constantly vandalised the shelter that if the damage didn't stop then the bulldozers would be sent in and it will be demolished.

Chief Executive at Brentwood Council, Bob McLintock, said the council had received several complaints about youth nuisance in the area from local residents and he said that the Tommy Wilson centre might be the "focal point for the problems".

Cllr Davies said: "The problem is not the centre but it is a point for these youngsters to hang around and it is the youth nuisance which is the problem.

"The centre will only stand a chance if we can get rid of the nuisance and a number of residents feel quite intimidated by these young people."

A council spokesman said the idea of the urban arts project, which will cost £800, was that the young people would get involved in painting the centre and take pride in their work and not ruin it with graffiti.

Published Thursday November 20, 2003

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