TEARAWAY kids who terrorise communities are to blame for a quarter of evictions from Barnsley’s council homes.

New powers given to the Safer Neighbourhood Unit have made it easier to deal with families from hell and over the last year 12 have been ordered out of Berneslai Homes' properties.

SNU manager Paul Brannan told the Chronicle that three of the evictions were due to youths who could not be controlled.

He said it was a fair representation of the year on year figures.

Kicking parents out because of their children is not a step Mr Brannan takes lightly. It is only done when there are persistent and serious offences such as arson, harassment or vandalism.

He said: “It is the last resort but if people behave badly enough we will always look at it.”

The SNU is now able to tackle nuisance neighbours before the situation gets out of control.

An injunction, which Mr Brannan has dubbed a housing ASBO, lays down rules on tenants' conduct. It can be obtained within 40 minutes if a case is deemed urgent enough.

If the injunction is broken it could lead to either the loss of secure tenancy or legal possession of the house, which Mr Brannan says is like being given a suspended sentence for eviction.

If these measures are still not enough the council and SNU can evict the tenants without having to go back to court.