POTATOES, eggs and flour have been hurled at residents’ cars by unruly yobs.

Teenage hooligans are being blamed for the attacks which have escalated on a Colchester estate over the past few months.

In the latest, on Tuesday, residents said they gathered in Brittany Way after hearing noise.

They watched as a gang of boys and a girl, aged about 15 to 16, ran out of a house and hid.

Police were called to the scene at about 9pm.

Glass was left smashed on the pavement and a wing mirror of another car had been kicked off.

Holly Southgate, who lives in Brittany Way, wrote on Facebook: “Three cars having egg, flour and potatoes thrown at them numerous times, a wing mirror being kicked off.

“Tonight another wing mirror was kicked off.

“Lots of neighbours came out to see what was going on, police called and currently circling the area as well for a missing high risk person.

“Whether it’s anyone in that group or not, we’re unsure.

“We stood outside our houses and watched four to five boys around 15 or 16 and one girl of the same age run out of a house to go and hide.”

“Smashed glass all over the pavement and road as well.”

Ms Southgate also urged neighbours to keep an eye out for the gang and to watch out for their own vehicles.

Police briefly returned to the house where the trouble had seemed to come from yesterday morning .

Lee Scordis, Labour councillor for Old Heath, said: “Police were contacted by three different people on Tuesday night and did eventually attend but they were overstretched again.”

“We don’t have enough on the street, there are 13 full-time covering the whole borough in one shift.

“But the fact they visited the house today [Wednesday] is good.”

Mr Scordis said he had also contacted housing provider Colchester Borough Homes in connection with the latest incident and it is understood it is investigating.

Estate resident Elliot Herrington added: “The whole estate is a joke now.

“From this situation and to all the druggies in and out constantly. Motorbikes screaming around. “Cars trying to drag race from the top of Barn Hall Green to Normandy Avenue the estate has 100 per cent become worse in the last year or two.”

An Essex Police spokesman confirmed officers were called on Tuesday to reports of a disturbance involving a group of teenagers.

He said: “We attended and found a white Ford Fiesta which had been damaged.”

Police appealed for witnesses or anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage to get in touch quoting incident 1168 of April 9.

Alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”