Police officers are working hard to get on top of continuing problems with weekend youth disorder in Dumbarton and Balloch.

Constable Chris Griffiths told members of Dumbarton East and Central Community Council (DECCC) at a recent meeting that youth disorder has become a problem in Dumbarton town centre and Balloch Park.

PC Griffiths, from Dumbarton police office, revealed that youths had been hanging around St James Retail Park causing bother, and that there had been violent clashes in Balloch Park between local youths and others from Glasgow.

The PC said: “Youth disorder is a problem, and on a Friday and a Saturday night, it’s pretty bad.

“Youths are congregating between Dumbarton East park and St James’ Retail Park.

“They just basically use it as a playground.”

Read more: Dumbarton headlines

PC Griffiths said that most of teenagers involved are aged between 12 to 16, and that problems usually start at about 5pm on a Friday until 10pm and from midday to 10pm on a Saturday.

He added: “We have also got problems with youth disorder in St James’s Retail Park.

“We’re getting incidents like 12-year-olds spitting at members of staff after they have been told to leave restaurant premises.

“We have the same issue in Balloch Park with kids coming there from Scotstoun, Yoker, Drumchapel and Clydebank and meeting up with local children.

“They arrange it through Facebook and this is causing a wee bit of havoc down there but we’re trying to get on top of that.”

Read more: Balloch headlines

The police are currently updating a list of all private CCTV in the area at banks, petrol stations, restaurants and pubs so they know where to go for footage quickly.

A total of 120 locations currently have CCTV in Dumbarton.