But the residents were told their fears, which they aired at a community meeting on Tuesday night, were not reflected by police statistics.

And Thornton's youth said they were not the perpetrators of recent assaults, graffiti and vandalism, and instead blamed "ring-ins" from other areas.

Lower Hunter Crime Prevention Officer Senior Constable Brian Coffey told the Mercury yesterday that police were aware of young people from Gosford, Newcastle and Maitland who communicated by mobile phone and internet sites, travelled to areas including Thornton by train, caused trouble and left.

Several speakers at the 120-strong meeting called for "vigilante" action and the demolition of the Thornton Park Skate Park, located opposite Thornton Primary School and near Thornton Shopping Centre, claiming the skate ramps attracted alcohol-fuelled violence.

But Thornton's skating community rejected those claims yesterday.

"Other people come here and trash it. On Saturday morning we found they had graffitied everything," skater Ryan Armstrong said yesterday afternoon.

"We want to see a light here and the graffiti cleaned up.

"We are here every day, we use the place and we aren't causing trouble.

"We would like the park cleaned up and lit up."

At Tuesday night's meeting residents complained of late night gatherings of around 40 youths on Friday and Saturday nights, speeding bikes, repeated vandalism, house break-ins and abusive parents unwilling to chastise their disruptive children.

Some called for "vigilante" groups.

"I keep my baseball bat by my front door. I'll swing first and ask questions later," one male resident said.

Snr Constable Coffey, who fielded questions and complaints from frustrated and frightened residents during the two-and-a-half hour meeting, said vigilante action was the worst thing any community could do and police would keep a closer eye on Thornton.

The community resolved to reinstate a Neighbourhood Watch program, request a community safety audit from Snr Constable Coffey and report any criminal activity to police.

Snr Constable Coffey said he was particularly encouraged by the input from another young skater, who called for the microphone as residents discussed the worth of the skate park.

The 16-year-old asked the meeting: "Where are we going to go if there's no skate park?"

"If you got rid of the derelicts that hang around there it would be okay.

"We're not all dropkicks," he said to loud applause.

Senior Constable Coffey said a siege mentality would create more problems in Thornton and the community could solve a lot of the problems themselves.

"Thornton's younger people did represent themselves (at the meeting) and were quite resentful of what they were being blamed for. They are proud of living in Thornton.

"People have to realise it is a minority of people causing the majority of the trouble."

Snr Constable Coffey is inviting community representatives to accompany him on a Community Safety Audit of the skate park and Thornton Shopping Centre which he hoped to complete within the next three weeks.

He said Thornton residents must take responsibility for their community, particularly given that a Neighbourhood Watch group folded several years ago due to lack of interest.

"People make a place safe. If the community take ownership and pride in their community, and are willing to work with groups and police they can make a difference."