POLICE have mounted extra patrols in a bid to combat youths who are wreaking havoc in parts of Musselburgh.

The teenage terrors are stealing wheelie bins and setting them on fire, constantly harassing elderly people and pelting windows with eggs, say police.

PC Jeff Lowe told Musselburgh and Inveresk Community Council that during a two-week period from October 11 to 25, police received 23 calls relating to youths involved in anti-social behaviour.

“The majority of them are all round Mountjoy Terrace and Loretto playing fields. There are children in there causing havoc and all sorts of bother,” he said.

Other areas affected by the teenagers are Edenhall, Windsor Park, Lewisvale and Cottage Lane, the community councillors heard at their meeting last week.

PC Lowe said that the problems mainly happened on a Friday and Saturday night, and police were mounting additional patrols.

“We will do our best but it is just being in the right place at the right time. We will keep up patrols, identify them and the ringleaders, and speak to their parents,” he stressed.

PC Lowe said that quite a few teenagers had been caught in the Mountjoy area and one youth was arrested and charged in connection with his behaviour, particularly against police.

He said there was diversionary work to deal with the teenagers rather than going through the justice system. But he stressed that sometimes charging them was “unavoidable” because it was an offence to drink in the streets, commit a breach of the peace and shout and swear at police officers.

Stuart Baxter, manager of the Musselburgh Area Partnership, said he had heard the youths came from all over the county, including Musselburgh and Prestonpans, with social media playing a part.

PC Lowe said it was an older group of youths who were causing problems in the Mountjoy area, where alcohol was involved.

He said: “Don’t get me wrong, there are good children out there, but there’s a couple of bad ones in the group and everybody just sees the whole group is causing an issue.”

Betty Ramsden, community council vice-chairwoman, said that it was up to the parents to watch what their children were up to.

“I don’t think there is enough to keep them off the streets,” she added.

PC Lowe said: “The large percentage of children are fine. They will go out and muck about. But it is going too far when they start stealing wheelie bins and setting them on fire, targeting elderly people, constantly harassing them, throwing eggs at windows and damaging property. It’s not on.”

He added: “With the darker nights, there is that fear of crime as well.”