MOSQUITO ALARM PROPOSED IN NEW SCHEME TO CLEAN UP THE RIVERSIDE
An irritating alarm that only youngsters can hear is one of the counter-measures proposed to keep troublemakers away from Derby's Silk Mill and Cathedral Green.

Derby City Council officers said the area often attracted drunks, drug addicts and vandals and something had to be done to stop people causing trouble.

The plans are in response to several incidents in the area, including an incident on July 4, when staff saw a group of 15 youths outside the Silk Mill Museum, one of whom was carrying a ball-bearing gun.

A report outlining plans to stop anti-social behaviour in the area is up for discussion at the council's scrutiny management commission meeting on Tuesday.

It includes installing a mosquito alarm, which emits an extremely high-pitched noise, to stop youngsters hanging around.

It is not yet known where the mosquito alarm would be installed.

The council also plans to put up signs in the area advising people that it is a designated alcohol-free zone.

Derby city centre as a whole is an alcohol-free zone, which makes it an offence for people to drink in the street, but signs informing people of this were never put up in the Cathedral Green area.

A clean-up of graffiti in the area is also planned.

Roger Shelley, keeper of the Silk Mill Museum, said he hoped the measures would stop anti-social behaviour when coupled with the completion of a project to revamp the Cathedral Green area.

Work started on the £3.8m regeneration of Derby's Cathedral Green in August. The project includes a swing footbridge across the River Derwent, new paving, terracing, seating, lighting, planting and an outdoor performance area.

Mr Shelley said: "We do get a tiny minority of people hanging around.

"All city centres experience this problem but we hope that when work at Cathedral Green is finished, more people will come to this part of the city and that in itself will act as a deterrent to anti-social behaviour.

"Cathedral Green has long been an alcohol-free zone but we need signs informing people of this.

"We would also support the removal of any graffiti in the area.

"I don't know how effective mosquito alarms are and we certainly wouldn't want to put teenagers off visiting the museum."

CCTV cameras were installed outside the museum in April.

They recorded the imitation firearm incident in July.

A police spokesman said staff saw the gang of youths outside at about 4pm and called the police. The force helicopter and an armed response team was sent and officers arrested two men.

A 20-year-old man was given a caution and an 18-year-old man was charged with possessing an imitation firearm in public.

Author MELISSA BECK
Publication Derbyshire Evening Telegraph
Date 27 September 2007
Link www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk