A council has agreed to try to stop gangs of youths making Burgess Hill residents' lives a misery.

For months, groups of young drinkers have been hanging around the children's play area at Folders Meadow, causing a nuisance with rowdy behaviour and vandalism.

Last night Burgess Hill town councillors agreed to fill in an area under the children's slide which the gangs have used as a shelter for drinking sessions.

They said creating an earth mound under the slide would also make it safer for younger children in future.

However, some feared the measures would spoil the play area for children who used it for socialising and said the problems were caused by young people having nothing to do.

Councillor Anne Jones said: "On the problems raised by the residents, it comes down to the youths. I think it is really symptomatic that there is nothing in the area for youths.

"It is an issue that will always be ongoing while we have nothing for them to do."