TOWN centre vandals have caused thousands of pounds worth of damage since April in attacks upon shop premises.

Rowdy gangs of teenagers are believed to be at the root of the problem, which traders say has brought evening chaos to Atherton.

Pauline Holgate, a spokesman for the town's traders, said: "We need a greater police presence in the town.

"We have a CCTV system but how effective is it? In past experience, not very. I appreciate the police can't be everywhere but there's a very real problem here which needs addressing."

Marauding teenagers have caused chaos and the latest trouble has seen a number of town centre businesses suffer vandal attacks.

This has brought a call for a CCTV camera location rethink from local estate agent Alison Duffy, whose Red Rose premises have been targeted because part of the building in Flapper Fold Lane is obscured from the cameras.

Alison this week revealed why the revamped estate agency, just off Market Street, has been partly boarded-up for the past two weeks after two huge display windows were shattered in each attack.

She told the Journal:""Each window has cost £700 to replace so we have decided to keep the boards-up following the latest incident until security shutters are installed.

"I'd like everyone to know that it is not our fault our premises are boarded-up - we are open for business as usual."

"The attacks happen between 8pm and 10pm and it is always the side windows which are targeted because they are out of view of the car park security cameras.

"Bricks and heavy roof tiles have been used to shatter the laminated glass and in the last incident, a passer-by chased a 13-year-old boy who had been seen in the act. Obviously the CCTV camera locations need looking at."

Chief Inspector Ken Dickson, of Leigh police sub-division, said: "We are aware there have been some problems and we will take steps to address them." BUSINESS AS USUAL: Red Rose estate agency windows are out of view of security cameras and targets for vandls