OTLEY Library has started banning anti-social youths in the same week a mother and daughter were nearly run down outside the building.

Nicola Mackintosh and her nine-year-old daughter Ashleigh were crossing Nelson Street last Wednesday when a youth on a motorised scooter almost hit them.

Mrs Mackintosh had to drag her child out of harm's way and says the incident, which she immediately reported to the police, left her daughter terrified.

She said: "My daughter and I were going to Brownies last Wednesday evening when we were nearly knocked down by a youth on a motorised scooter who had been hanging around outside the library.

"We had gone to cross the road, it was clear, and I had to literally drag my daughter back. If there had been a car coming behind us I dread to think what could have happened. My daughter is only nine and she was hysterical.

"There were around five of them on scooters and this one shot out, the others were behind. I said something to them and the other youths just encouraged them to keep doing what they were doing, which is crazy behaviour especially when there are children, elderly people and young women walking down there.

"Every time I walk my daughter to the Brownies now there seems to be an incident, you get shouted at and intimidated by this gang.

"I called the police and an officer came out to our home an hour and a half later, then told us there wasn't much they could do."

Otley Police Inspector Simon Hepworth said: "We're well aware that there have been ongoing problems there and we do what we can to disperse the youths and deal positively with them when we catch them committing offences.

"We've now got an agreement with the library about their stance against bad behaviour and our role in supporting their staff to implement that.

"They areaeople if they're persistent trouble makers and that is happening.

"We will continue to deal with crime and nuisance positively, and troublemakers are frequently arrested for offences such as criminal damage and public disorder."

Mrs Mackintosh said she was pleased the library had started introducing bans, but still intends to raise the issue with Otley MP Greg Mulholland next week.

She said: "I still want to discuss the reaction of the police to what happened with the MP, because if they had come out when I rang them they'd have caught them."

Councillor John Procter, Leeds City Council's Executive member for Leisure, said: "We have warned several young people and written to their parents to explain that their persistent disruptive behaviour is unacceptable, and we have now banned one individual from the library for three months after their behaviour failed to improve."