The escalating problem of anti-social behaviour in Brampton is due to be discussed by residents and businesses in the town.

Police have arranged two public meetings, to be held at the town's community on Friday.

Residents are being invited to a meeting between 4pm and 5.30pm before a meeting for local businesses takes place from 6pm to 7.30pm.

At a meeting of Brampton parish council last night, councillor Malcolm Craik reported the concerns of Brampton Primary School.

"At the school there is a feeling that the whole community has been left at the mercy of these youths," he said.

"The feeling in the governors meeting was that someone was going to be seriously hurt or injured before something was done about it."

Mr Craik, who is one of the school's governors, said incidents at the school in recent months included arson to an outdoor classroom, youths on the roof, locks smashed and an organised fight on the school field.

At the school's popular community bonfire earlier this month, fireworks were stolen as the show got underway.

Police said they are due to increase patrols and will take a "zero tolerance" approach to anti-social behaviour.

Figures show a sharp rise in incidents for 2017.

Compared to the same time last year there have been 15 more youth-related incidents of anti-social behaviour in the town, with about 16 of all those reported between September and October.

Arsonists started fires in 10 different areas of the Victorian school buildings - on either side of Moat Street - which once housed the town's infant school, on October 24.

Elsewhere eggs have been being thrown at cars and houses and a poly tunnel at the community garden had been slashed.

"In Parkhead there are already people who are afraid to go out at night," said Mr Craik.

Councillor John Harding said: "It's getting quite serious."

The parish council is hoping to arrange for Cumbria's Police and Crime Commissioner Peter McCall to attend one of their next meetings.

In the meantime councillors pledged to attend the public meetings tomorrow.

Chairman David Moorat said: "We can stand back and say we can't do anything about this at all or we should be asking for something to be done about it.

"We have got a commitment. We owe it to our community.

"It's a golden opportunity to for us to fire some ammunition about what it to be done."