POLICE officers have been called in to stop the inappropriate anti-social behaviour of some parents collecting their children from a school. They started high visibility patrols outside Hillshott Infant and Nursery School in Letchworth GC two weeks ago

POLICE officers have been called in to stop the "inappropriate anti-social behaviour" of some parents collecting their children from a school.

They started high visibility patrols outside Hillshott Infant and Nursery School in Letchworth GC two weeks ago after complaints from parents and the school about some of the mothers' swearing.

A police constable has been patrolling the area each morning and afternoon to try and combat the problem of swearing and some parent sitting on a wall outside the school. Insp Geoff Camp said: "A limited number of the parents are not acting in an appropriate manner bearing in mind where they are and that children are around."

He said his officers work closely with all schools in Letchworth GC. "We are satisfied that we are there giving police presence. We need to be there. This anti-social behaviour is inappropriate."

He said officers will continue to work with the school to find a solution.

But one parent, Jean Gough, said it was a waste of police time. She said the involvement of the police was too extreme and had annoyed many parents.

She said: "There has never been any fighting, no vandalism, no need to warrant the police presence."

The school has sent out newsletters in the past asking parents to get off the walls.

But Mrs Gough said: "It's a communal thing that's happened for years since the school opened. It's always been this way."

Hillshott headteacher Joanne Wilson said: "We regret that it proved necessary to involve our local police community support officer, but informal appeals to those causing the problem have been ignored.

"Our duty is to ensure that none of our pupils are exposed to violence or abusive language.