FRESH attempts are set to be made to force a seafront takeaway to close up earlier to stop drunken gangs of youths causing misery for families.Up to 100 youngsters gather outside the Bodrum Grill after leaving Felixstowe's nightclubs – staying in the area up to 5am.

By Richard Cornwell

FRESH attempts are set to be made to force a seafront takeaway to close up earlier to stop drunken gangs of youths causing misery for families.

Up to 100 youngsters gather outside the Bodrum Grill after leaving Felixstowe's nightclubs – staying in the area up to 5am.

Residents have branded the area "Lagerloutsville" and blame the youths for noise and unruly behaviour, swearing, vandalism, litter, urinating and being sick in gardens, and showing off in their cars and causing danger in the street.

Suffolk Coastal council has tried to take action to force the takeaway to shut and won the backing of the courts.

But the Bodrum's owner Mehmet Yalcin successfully appealed against the ban.

Now the council is set to make a new attempt under different legislation to stop the Bodrum at the Ordnance roundabout opening until 5am, though first it will have to give Mr Yalcin a full and fair hearing in public to discuss the problems.

In a 22-page report to be put before councillors on January 28 residents say they will back the council 100 pert cent and several are willing to attend the hearing and give evidence in person.

One resident said in a letter to the council: "Every week I clean and clear vomit, polystyrene packets, salad residue, and beer spray from my windows, filling four carrier bags with rubbish on a weekly basis.

"I dread the midnight to 4am time every week. One night it took six police vehicles to attend a fracas of yobs under my bedroom window – why do they then have a post mortem of the event with 20 people all shouting to be heard just where other people are trying to sleep."

Another wrote: "There is an unacceptable level of verbal abuse, foul language and occasional fights. The police are much in evidence on the streets and in the air. I am grateful for their presence and suspect that without them the level of anti-social behaviour and vandalism would be much higher."

Passageways behind the shops and flats had become a "den of iniquity" with youngsters have sex and using them as a toilet. Residents had no sleep and then had to be up early to clear up.

A number of police officers have also given statements to the council as part of its package of evidence to bring a new case.

Mr Yalcin wants to stay open to help the viability of his business. He says he has repeatedly asked customers to keep the noise down and posted notices on his windows appealing to them to behave. He clears the litter outside the premises.