Okehampton Town Council is to write to its MP to demand more bobbies on the beat to tackle problems with anti-social behaviour which is leaving park staff in fear of a group of youths in Simmons Park.

Councillors are enlisting Central Devon MP to call for more police resources in the town ­— after receiving what Cllr Goffey said was an ‘unsatisfactory’ response to their latest plea for help to the police and crime commissioner.

Councillors had written to police and crime commissioner Alison Hernandez asking for more resources, but she had replied that it was a local matter.

Cllr Goffey said she felt sorry for West Devon police inspector Mark Sloman who had also replied, saying local officers would do what they could.

‘I must admit I found Alison Hernandez’s response unsatisfactory,’ said Cllr Goffey.

‘I feel quite sorry for Inspector Sloman because until we have more funding we aren’t going to see more policemen walking around the town which is the way you resolve this. I think we need to escalate this and write a strong letter to Mel Stride and point out what is going on.’

Councillors have acted following a months of anti-social behaviour in the park, which last year won an award for its beauty.

These have included an attack on the park-keeper by a youth and sabotage of play equipment. Following a brief period at the start of the lockdown there has once again been a resurgence in anti-social behaviour.

The town council, which looks after the park and employs its staff, has paid for body cams worn by the three park staff.

But the meeting on Monday night heard that the group of young people causing the problems were now approaching them from behind, to avoid getting picked up on the cameras. A new CCTV camera is due to be installed in the park today, in advance of a network of several CCTV cameras which will be installed in the town centre, in a scheme part-funded by the Office for the Police and Crime Commissioner.

Cllr Jan Goffey said years of teaching had taught her that the way to deal with a difficult class was to ‘face the class’ rather than turn your back.

Clerk Emma James through said she had advised the staff not to get embroiled in any confrontation with troublemakers. ‘The last thing we want is another member of staff being assaulted,’ she said.

The recent issues have prompted the council to act to install a new CCTV camera in the park, which was due to arrive this week.

It is designed to be portable so that it can be moved to different trouble spots around the park. Councillors voted to send a letter to Mr Stride to enist his help in asking for police resources.They are also writing to county councillor James McInnes, Cabinet member for children’s services and schools, as it is believed that some of the young people causing problems have been excluded from school. The council heard that there was no ‘pupil referral unit’ — known as a PRU — in the Okehampton area.