Ulster Unionist Coalition Party (UUCP) member, Robin Stirling made his appeal at last Thursday night’s meeting in public of the District Policing Partnership (DPP) in The Braid Civic Centre.

Although he declined to specify the housing area concerned, he told the forum that residents living there were being driven to distraction by footballs being kicked with annoying regularity into drives and gardens, often being retrieved without the permission of the owners of the property.

He said the street games also often obstructed vehicular traffic and the movement of pedestrians and cyclists, yet he had been told by the PSNI that “playing football on a through road serving a residential area does not violate existing laws”.

Mr Stirling queried from the Area Commander, Chief Inspector Barbara Gray, whether it was the case that residents simply had to learn to live with such “harassment”.

Responding, Ms Gray stated that police patrols had increased in the area concerned and reports had been forwarded to the Youth Diversion Officer, with police having spoken to individual residents to establish possible offences.

She added that concerned had been raised about civil trespass and that the Council had been contacted and may consider erecting ‘No Ball Game’ signs.

However, Ms Gray pointed out that statements of complaint had to be received by the PSNI to allow officers to pursue any offences disclosed.