ROUGH sleepers on Weymouth Esplanade are being attacked by teenage boozers, claim campaigners for the homeless.

Gangs of youths have intimidated and assaulted people on the streets after drinking alcohol at night, they say.

Soul Food soup kitchen volunteer Angie Barnes, 46, of Gloucester Street, said: "One man came hobbling up saying these young kids jumped on his hip when he was asleep. Another man said he had a glass bottle thrown at him.

"The homeless guys get spat on and kicked. They want to protect themselves from getting beaten up, but are too scared to retaliate because they will go prison.

"Every Friday night I see a minimum of 50 kids drinking, ripping up bins, damaging road signs, urinating and vomiting on the beach."

Police can ban people from parts of Weymouth for 24 hours under Section 30 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act.

But supporters believe homeless people are especially targeted under these rules and want to see more youngsters sent away from trouble hotspots.

"It annoys me that Section 30 applies to vulnerable guys in the bus shelter while the kids run riot and everyone turns a blind eye," said Ms Barnes.

Weymouth soup run volunteer Sam Bradley, 34, slept on the streets for three weeks in a bid to find out if the stories were true.

He said: "One night The Esplanade filled with 13 to 16-year-olds who were all drunk and harassing us in the shelter as we tried to sleep.

"One of us called the police because the children were getting quite violent by then.

"When the police turned up they counted 96 children all under the legal age to drink but did not do anything.

"They said they did not have enough cells to deal with them and we would have to move on, instead of them."

Major Ruth Hill of the Salvation Army said: "The homeless do not retaliate so they are defenceless.

"I have seen youths swaggering round with bottles, laughing at them.

"It's not always physical but there is certainly intimidation and rough sleepers get the blame."

Weymouth East Inspector Peter Meteau said he was clamping down on all anti-social behaviour.

He added: "On Friday we had a team of six police officers on the Esplanade dealing with youths - they seized more than 25 cans and bottles. With the number of public complaints the rough sleepers generate I'm obliged to move them on."