PARISHIONERS have been forced to clear syringes and empty booze bottles from the path to their church as gangs of youths gather in the graveyard at night.

Damage caused by the vandals who meet at St Bartholomew's Church in Norton has escalated to the stage where the parish is having to spend cash on repairs it would otherwise give to charity.

In the latest incident, teenagers have climbed onto the lychgate - the roofed gateway to the church yard - and smashed a number of tiles.

A war memorial has also been targeted with graffiti.

The ongoing anti-social problems have been reported to Staffordshire Police, who say they are working to tackle the problem.

Officers and church officials are now urging parents to play a part in preventing the vandalism and consider what their children might be getting up to when they go out at night.

The Reverend Peter Davey said the problem had been ongoing for at least five years.

He said: "We have had tiles smashed or ripped off the lychgate roof by young people getting up there and playing the fool, which has been going on for some time now.

"Ever since I have been here there has been a problem with drinking and drug taking, from which we have seen the evidence.

"Often it is at the weekend, but one of the things we find is that there is a sea of broken glass on the church path where they have been drinking and smashed the bottles, either at the front of the church or around the back."

Church warden Jim Cooke said that people have been climbing on the lychgate since Easter.

He added: "We have had quite a bit of damage caused because they are climbing up and then up and down.

"We have reported it to the police as the children seem to use the church and the churchyard as a meeting place and we have continuous problems broken glass."

One parishioner, who asked not to be named, said that paying for repairs was limiting the money the church could afford to give to charity.

The resident added: "They stand drinking at the lychgate but they do not put their bottles in the bins.

"I have picked up whole cartons of a dozen bottles they have thrown down.

"I have told some young people to put them in the bin, but you are not there a lot of the time.

"I have also picked up syringes, so there is a certain amount of drug-taking going on, but the drinking is something that has gone on so long you don't even think about it.

"I feel there should be more parental control."

The church was also targeted by lead thieves last summer.

Inspector Mark Harden, commander of Tunstall Neighbourhood Policing Unit, said: "Anti-social behaviour is a problem in the Norton area, however we are working closely with others to try to resolve it.

"We recently held a number of activities in conjunction with the youth service at the area's activity centre and are also carrying out enforcement in the Norton area.

"But I would urge parents to ask their children where they are going and what they are doing when they go out at night."

Anyone wishing to report anti-social behaviour in Norton should call 0300 123 4455.