POLICE have given an assurance that Wellington is not experiencing another bout of anti-social behaviour following an incident last Friday evening.

It occurred in South Street, at about 7.45pm when a mother and her daughter were surrounded by a group of about 20 lads taunting them.

Michelle Millett reported on social media that her daughter called her to say she was being picked on and the incident happened when she went to collect her.

“This was all caused by one boy in particular that has been taunting my daughter for a while now . . .but his friends saw fit to join in,” she said. She says she called the police who attended and dispersed the group.

A police statement said: “The group made off when they realised the woman had called to report the incident to the police.

“The Wellington neighbourhood team always encourage people to report incidents of anti-social behaviour to help them target their patrols at any hotspots.

“Officers also have good relations with local schools and routinely attend to talk with young people about keeping safe, acceptable behaviour and any issues affecting them.”

PCSO Simon Bramley, who is based locally, added: “This incident is definitely not a return of the trouble which blighted Wellington last summer.”

AT one stage last summer police said they were ‘desperate’ to sort out the wave of anti-social behaviour among juvenile offenders blighting Wellington.

Officers received nearly 50 calls from people about anti-social behaviour in Wellington in June and police admitted they were ‘fed-up’ with it.

PC Jo Jeffery told members of Wellington Town Council in early July that events had made Wellington a ‘priority’ and more officers were being brought in to deal with a surge in problems.

Dog handlers and police on horses were used to show off the increased presence of the police.