A FRAIL pensioner told today how she is too afraid to leave her flat because of the havoc caused on her doorstep by drunken yobs.

May Robinson, 79, who has lived in the council property in Dringfield Close, York, for 20 years, said she was "living in fear" of repeated vandal attacks.

She said she was regularly woken at 4am by teenage gangs who smashed windows when they were prevented from getting into the flats complex, which is home to many elderly people.

Mrs Robinson revealed the yobs regularly managed to get through the main entry door to reach the stairwell where they drank and smoked. "It's awful for this to happen to someone at my age," she said

"When I've asked them to keep the noise down they've told me to '**** off'.

"Loads of them come and smash the place up. It looks like a lot of them are on drugs."

Mrs Robinson's son, Fred, 42, a taxi driver, from Thoresby Road, Acomb, said installing CCTV cameras outside the flats could identify who was responsible.

"You shouldn't have to live like this when you are 79 - it is very upsetting."

"I go to see my mum once a week, and every time since Christmas a window has been put through."

"If the council put cameras up at least they would know who was doing it."

Mrs Robinson, who rarely ventures outside because of the attacks, said it was the first trouble she had suffered in 20 years at the complex.

"I need proper windows putting in and better security," she said.

"It's terrifying."

A City of York Council spokeswoman said an officer had met Mrs Robinson to talk through the issues.

"We have been made aware of the damage caused to the main entry door to the flats, which we understand occurred over the weekend," she said.

"The broken door panel has been boarded up and we are making investigations to find out who is responsible.

"This kind of antisocial behaviour is something that we treat extremely seriously and will not be tolerated."

Updated: 09:56 Saturday, March 04, 2006