A high-pitched noise device and a new youth club are the latest tools in the fight against teenage antisocial behaviour in Didcot.

The Co-op, in Lostock Place, Ladygrove, has installed a Mosquito device outside the shop in a bid to disperse groups of youths.

The gadget sends out an irritating buzz which only teenagers can hear. The ultrasonic tone becomes so annoying it encourages youngsters to move away - and the closer the teenager gets, the more effective it is.

Lostock Place is a hotspot for antisocial behaviour, with some residents saying they feel intimidated. Midcounties Co-operative spokesman Adrian Barradell said: "There were a number of incidents near the store the end of last year involving young people and we have worked in conjunction with the local police regarding this.

"One move was the installation of a Mosquito device and we have used this on a small number of occasions when required.

"We are please to be able to report that things are now returning back to normal at the store."

Young people on Ladygrove are hopeful the estate's first youth club could also help stamp out antisocial behaviour. The Didcot Train Youth Project is spearheading the initiative in a bid to get more young people off the streets.

Youth worker Paul Gander is leading the project with the help of a small group of parents. He said: "We wanted to use the money in Ladygrove because it is a large area and there is a problem with young people and antisocial behaviour on the estate.

"We decided we wanted to follow this up and help a group of young people."

The club will run every Friday from 7.30-9.30pm in the Willowbrook Leisure Centre and will be manned by five volunteers. Teenagers will be able to use the sports hall, pool table, games consoles and listen to music. Amelia Lynch, 14, from Ladygrove, said: "It is definitely a good idea because it is something fun to do instead of just sitting indoors and you get to meet new people.

"I would like to see more things for young people to do and I am hopeful they might use it and move away from the Co-op area in Lostock Place, especially if it is open later, because older people are quite scared of them."

David Jennea, 15, from Ladygrove, said: "The club will help to get hooligans off the street so it is a good idea and it will be a fun place to relax. All the other clubs are to far away up town and we have to walk really far."

The youth club set up thanks to a £5000 cash boost from Fox Fm and the V Charity, who have given more than £60,000 away to 10 local organisations.

Ladygrove councillor Bill Service said: "This is the first step which hopefully will help us find out what it is the teenagers on the Ladygrove Estate really want to do with their spare time."

He added: "There are moves afoot to install a mobile CCTV camera, but this is not fully worked out yet."