POLICE in Nailsea are urging parents to be extra vigilant about what their children are doing at night after reports of young people sleeping rough in the town

POLICE in Nailsea are urging parents to be extra vigilant about what their children are doing at night after reports of young people sleeping rough in the town.The appeal follows concerns from local residents who claim to have discovered youths as young as 14 hiding out behind shops in the High Street at 5.30 in the morning. The concerns about the safety of the youngsters were raised at a meeting of Nailsea Local Action Team (LAT).LAT member and local resident Dave Pearce said he often saw children asleep on local playing fields in the early hours while out walking his dog.And he claimed he had been approached by a local milkman who said he had been approached by a gang of youths while out doing his round at about 4am.Mr Pearce said: "I was out walking with my dog at around 5.45am when I discovered two youngsters behind the bins at the rear of the St Peter's Hospice Shop."They had obviously been sleeping there and when I arrived and disturbed them they headed off towards Tesco."This is not the first time I have seen youngsters out at this time of night."Local Acton Team chairman John Hunter said he had also seen youths out early in the morning.Mr Hunter said: "I was going on holiday early one morning and at about 5.30am on my way to the airport I saw a group of youngsters, aged around 14, sat on the grass opposite Hazelbury Road."This reinforces what Mr Pearce is saying about them being out late at night."It is a real concern and more importantly, do their parents know what they are doing?"Nailsea Community Beat Manager PC Adam Clarke said if people were concerned about the safety of young people out during the early hours they should contact the police.PC Clarke said: "Sometimes it is the case that one child has told its parents they are staying at a friend's house for the night and visa versa."However if the feeling is that these young people are at risk as a result of being out so late, then the police should be called."At the very least the children would be taken home by officers and their parents spoken to.