A grandmother is fed up with local yobs congregating at an empty Stevenston property and fears for her safety after her window was smashed.

The resident, who wished to remain anonymous, says that the house in Golf Avenue has lain empty for several months and has become ‘a magnet for teenagers’.

She told the Herald: “My bedroom window last Thursday night got done. “There were stones getting flung on Wednesday, I heard all this smashing and I heard weans.

“I phoned the polis and an hour later, the polis are at the door. The next night I’m sitting watching the telly and I hear ‘bang-bang-bang’.

“It was retaliation for me phoning the polis. I’m having to fork out to get my window fixed.

“Since it’s been empty it’s a magnet for teenagers, windows at the back smashed, weans smashing bottles the other night out the back garden. “I want out of here, I can’t stay in this street.

“I ended up in tears at my work and I had to come home. I can’t do this anymore, I need out of here.”

Cameron Wallace, manager at Boulevard Letting Agents, the company that owns the house, said: “The property’s empty and we’re trying to make it as secure as we can.

“We rely on neighbours to let us know when there’s a problem because we can’t be there 24-hours a day.

“The area it’s in, it’s quite a dark corner of Stevenston, so there has been trouble before, but we’re trying our best to keep it secure.”

A spokesman for Police Scotland confirmed that they had received recent reports of a window being smashed and of youths throwing stones at an empty property.

He added: “Enquiries are ongoing to identify and deal with the youths involved.”

A North Ayrshire Council spokesperson said: “Our antisocial behaviour team has not received any complaints relating to this area.

“There is already appropriately designed street lighting in this lane and we are not aware of any faults to any of the lights.

“While there are no plans to add additional lighting, residents can report potential issues via the normal channels.”