Calls are being made to parents following incidents of anti-social behaviour at a business regeneration site on Portland.

Crabbers Wharf in Castletown has had to step up security patrols after children have been trespassing on the land and causing criminal damage.

Police say they have had several reports of anti-social behaviour and will be investigating.

A police spokesman said they received a report of criminal damage to lifesaving rings at Crabbers Wharf, which took place around 6pm on Saturday, August 4.

Sarah Newman, manager of Crabbers Wharf is calling for parents to take more responsibility.

She said: “I think there are a number of children at a loose end, who don’t know what to do with themselves.

“They want to spend time near the water, but are accessing our pontoon which is private property.”

She says there have been incidents were children have been jumping into the water, chucking lifesaving rings, swearing at guests and trying to rip the pontoon apart.

She explained: “There’s a big health and safety risk with what they’ve been doing. They aren’t checking the water, so they don’t know how deep the water is. They have been jumping from seven to eight feet.

“As well as that they’ve been coming here, swearing at people and causing criminal damage.”

She added: “My plea is to the parents. These children are trespassing and have been asked to leave because they’re causing distress.

“We are at a point were we will start pressing for criminal damage, it doesn’t matter how old they are."

Speaking on behalf of Derek Luckhurst, the man behind the Castletown regeneration, she said: “Mr Luckhurst has put a lot of money into social regeneration in the area. There is a corner shop, nice holiday lets and a D-Day centre.

“He has been doing a lot for the local community, which needs to get behind this. If any parents have been dropping their children down here, they need to drop them somewhere else. They should take responsible for their children, who have been affecting the local community.”

The local neighbourhood policing team has been made aware of the incidents and will be investigating.