"IF people don't start treating these facilities with respect we will have no choice but to close them."

Those are the words of Mike Lang and Jan Bonus from the BAY Centre Management Committee who said they may be forced to close a ball court at the centre in Cassis Close due to an increase in anti-social behaviour.

Jan said volunteers frequently spend hours of their time clearing up large amounts of rubbish left on the ball courts and the committee has received a number of complaints from residents over the last few months.

She said: "We leave these ball courts unlocked as a facility for young people to use but recently there has been a rise in anti-social behaviour.

"We have had a number of residents complain to us about noise, littering and anti-social behaviour at the ball courts at night.

"A lot of young people use The BAY Centre and we don't want to have to close the ball courts but we will have to if this behaviour does not stop.

"Young people come here at night and drink alcohol and leave rubbish all over the place. They need to respect this area as it is there for the community to use and enjoy."

In a bid to stop the anti-social behaviour the committee has put a closure warning up at the ball courts telling people to refrain from making loud noise or using drugs or alcohol while they are at the courts and to take their rubbish with them.

Mike said he hopes the warning will crackdown on anti-social behaviour and encourage people to treat the courts with respect.

He said: "This is a community centre and we have around 23,000 people coming through our doors each year to use our facilities.

"It should be available to the community at all times but if it is not respected we have no other choice but to close it.

"We would urge any young people who use these ball courts in the evening to treat them with respect, to take their rubbish with them and to keep noise to a minimum so they do not disturb the neighbours."

Cllr Dawn Carey from Burnham and Highbridge Town Council, visited the centre last week and said she would urge young people to treat the ball courts with respect.

She said: "We are so lucky to have the ball courts for our youngsters, especially with the summer coming up.

"It would be such a shame to lose them because a few people are not being respectful.

"It is not fair that their behaviour is costing the BAY Centre money and time that could be used elsewhere."