Yobs brought chaos to a retail district two days running including an alleged assault and shouting at McDonald’s staff.
Police, writing on a local beat Facebook page, said a dispersal notice has now been brought in covering Trident Park and Shopping City in Runcorn following an incident involving more than 15 youths at Trident on Thursday.
The notice also followed a flare-up of trouble the previous evening – part of which was witnessed by the ECHO. A force spokesman said officers were called to McDonald’s on West Lane, close to the retail park, twice on Wednesday at around 6.30pm, with both calls “believed to be connected”.
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He said about 10-15 youths were “shouting at staff” and “causing a mess” but caused “no specific damage”, and then left following an “altercation with a security guard”.
There then followed an incident involving yobs throwing eggs at cars in the car park.
The ECHO happened to be in the area at the time and witnessed part of a fracas on a red footbridge over West Lane, as a group of hooded and in some cases masked teenagers were trying to menace a man on the bridge.
After initially retreating back towards McDonald’s, the group moved forwards again as more joined from behind, appearing to force the man back, including a rush of footsteps pounding on the bridge deck.
The area has gained a reputation for youth-related antisocial behaviour and crime in recent years. Writing on the Beechwood and Heath police ward beat page, based in another part of town, the officer’s initial post said: “Youth arrested for assault on Trident retail park. In excess of 15 youths present.
“A dispersal notice is now in place for Shopping City, Trident retail park and surrounding areas.
“If your child is in the Shopping City or at Trident retail park with no valid reason, they will be dispersed. We will arrest anyone who is violent, abusive or committing criminal damage in the area.”
A second post said: “Any youth, any youth at all that causes damage, violence or public order to the residents and facilities of Runcorn will be arrested. Age is not an excuse.”
The same police beat page said trouble had also broken out in a different part of town during the same evening, with youths acting “antisocially” at Esposito’s at Runcorn Hill Park, and described as “running in and out of the café, causing a nuisance to staff and customers”.
They added the trouble-makers were “soaked wet through, some without coats”, and damage had been reported in the toilets, warning that parents will need to “to pay up”.
They said: “Do they belong to you? Please call them in.
“We will head over now to babysit in the interim.”
Cheshire Police said the dispersal order covers the area of Trident Retail and Leisure Park, Halton Lea, Runcorn and is in place from 5.45pm on March 16 to 5.45pm on March 18, not exceeding 48 hours.
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