TRIGGER-HAPPY teenagers with air rifles have been terrorising people at a York nature reserve.

The council-owned Clifton Backies reserve, in Clifton Without, lies between Bootham Stray and Water Lane and was designated a local nature reserve in 2002.

At about 2pm on Bank Holiday Monday local residents saw several small groups of youths shooting air rifles in an area where young children play and people walk their dogs.

The reserve is managed by a committee of 12 local residents and the site has valuable grasslands in the midst of large housing developments, parts of which were once Clifton airfield.

Committee member Doug Heald, 61, said he was alarmed to see teenagers firing off the rifles into the bushes.

"It would only have taken somebody to be on the other side of the hedge when any of those air rifles were going off, and it could have taken someone's eye out or caused some other equally horrible tragedy, not to mention the birds that could have been killed or injured as a result," he said.

"My main concern is the dangers this could pose to anyone using the reserve, including youngsters and people walking and cycling."

The reserve is a mixture of ancient pasture and hay meadow separated by hawthorn thickets, and is home to many species of native birds and butterflies.

The area has suffered previously from problems such as the dumping and burning of cars, but not the use of air rifles.

A City of York Council spokeswoman said: "We are extremely concerned to hear reports of people discharging air rifles at the site.

"It is illegal to discharge firearms across any public footpath, and on private land without the owner's consent. In this case, the land is owned by City of York Council and we have certainly not given consent for anyone to carry out activities of this nature.

"It is also illegal to destroy any wildlife and we are especially concerned about this given that it is currently the breeding season.

"We would urge anyone who sees or hears of this kind of activity at Clifton Backies, or any other local nature reserve, to contact the police as soon as possible."

Stephen Whittaker, the council's nature reserves officer, said: "This is another example of a minority of people thinking that they can use the site for whatever purposes they see fit without due regard for other users of the reserve and the wildlife that it protects.

"Recently we have seen motorcyclists flouting the law and now we have people using firearms. In both cases these are criminal offences and the police should be called.

"We are working hard with local schools and members of the public to try to change the perception of Clifton Backies, and to educate them as to the importance of the site. Instead of causing harm to the site itself and the wildlife that lives there, as well as causing problems for legitimate users of the reserve, they should be proud and protective of the natural haven they have on their doorstep."

Updated: 10:22 Thursday, May 05, 2005