PARENTS of "intimidating" youths gathering at Helensburgh Central station could soon be receiving letters from the police, the town’s new inspector has said.

Bart Simonis, who was previously based in Clydebank, has taken over as the local inspector at Helensburgh police station.

And he advised a councillor of a possible scheme where officers may write to parents of young people causing trouble in the area in a bid to offer support.

During discussion of policing in the town, another councillor also claimed that children as young as 10 are able to purchase vapes.

The inspector was speaking at a meeting of Argyll and Bute Council’s Helensburgh and Lomond area committee on Tuesday, December 12.

Helensburgh Central Conservative councillor Gary Mulvaney said: “There are still issues with youths congregating at the station, and at the moment we do not seem to know whose problem it is.

“It is not the British Transport Police or station staff’s issue, and police are stretched, but I certainly pick up from many people in the town that it is intimidating.

“I am not saying that the youths are doing anything wrong, although at time the language is pretty shocking, but it can be intimidating for people older than me, but also younger.

“If 14- or 15-year-olds are coming into the town and seeing a group hanging about, it can be intimidating.

"People also want to use the bus stop but do not because the youths are in there, so they stand outside it.

“I am not sure how we solve it, but it may be worth Haining Gallagher [youth engagement officer in Helensburgh] having a word.”

Inspector Simonis responded: “One initiative we have started is a parent letter scheme. If any youths or individuals are hanging about in the area, their parents will receive a letter from us.

“It is not a wagging finger. It is a support letter to say that these are the experiences of our communities, and we would look forward to a chat with your son or daughter.

“We will try to encourage officers on the front line to engage with that.”

On the issue of young people getting hold of vapes in the town, Councillor Math Campbell-Sturgess (SNP, Helensburgh and Lomond South) said: “Young people are obviously getting them from somewhere.

"I am happy to discuss this later, because I have had concerns raised to me, not just by constituents but NHS staff.

“People as young as 10 are getting hold of them and there does not seem to be any policing of that.

"They dialled 101 and were told to go to Trading Standards, and then got told it was a police matter.

“I know it is a long-standing issue because I mentioned a particular shop, and the person said they knew them because they were selling smokes to young people 30 years ago.”