Gang awareness in the Cotswolds

[nellypope]

The popes are moving, the neighbourhood has gone bad. Gangs of youths are cruising the cul de sac, making life unbearable for the residents. Identifiers (gang signs) include, pink scooters, bridesmaid dresses and yesterday, polka dot handbags. At one point I saw a fellow gang member (6 year old Lilly) sent home to fetch a Disney princess tiara. Bizarre initiation perhaps? Sadly I  couldn't bear to watch. Thankfully the rules changed pretty quick and soon Lilly joined a splinter group and was reinstated into gang lifestyle simply by suggesting they could all wear Dora the Explora tattoos for the afternoon. 

Although this activity does bring back memories of darker times. A few years ago, in a cul de sac not far from here, another resident of our historic market town (where they do occasional filming for Midsomer Murders) became rather agitated after sending his girlfriend out for pizza. Whether it was because she returned with a seafood special when what he really craved in his drug induced stupor was an Hawaiian or perhaps it was the sight of John Nettles ( maybe he was a Bergerac fan) I guess we will never know, but he took it upon himself to take refuge in his attic meth lab, threaten to burn the house down and throw burning petrol bombs out of his velux window at the police who had gathered below. I think the pictures below tell the story quite nicely (obviously I couldn't use real pictures so I have used Happy land figures to illustrate, please apply a liberal use of imagination) also I have used the tea shop and vets for houses I wanted to convey the community feel.

http://www.flickr.com...30317@N02/7752606360/

http://www.flickr.com...30317@N02/7752606334/

http://www.flickr.com...30317@N02/7752606178/

NB really hope these links work, first time I've tried!!

The siege lasted a good feature length episode of Rosemary and Thyme, and despite my gratuitous use of a gingerbread man pastry cutter no one actually got hurt.

On a serious note, the stress of Cotswold living and the school holidays reached fever pitch for one neighbour last night. At around 9:30 pm shouting could be heard, actually not shouting, screaming. So loud in fact that my hubby and I ran outside only to hear a neighbour call her 8 year old daughter (forgive me Ed I will attempt to put this delicately) a "'effing little (insert C word here)" . Apparently this little girl had been entrusted with the electric meter key and lost it on the way home. Not that I wish to judge, but there appears to be so many things wrong with this scenario I don't actually know where to start. Perhaps if said neighbour got off her magnificently proportioned arse and got the electric herself she wouldn't have been plunged into darkness. This poor little girl had to be screamed at, called one of the most terrible things I can think of and then had to witness her mother kick the meter box off the wall. It really was quite disturbing. 

Think I may do the neighbourly thing later, and drop a pack of tea lights, 2 litres of Frosty Jacks and todays episode of Jeremy Kyle on her doorstep (after all she may pick up some parenting tips).

Is this really indicative of our neighbourhoods now? Really?

[bednobs]

am i the only one completely confused by this post?

[Baldric]

No you're not,
and the 3 links all ask me to sign in to my account.

[mccfluff]

okaaaaayyyy

[Mamyalynne]

I do wish I had not read this - it has given me flashbacks re the 'My Little Pony' incident years ago....a vision I do not need on a sunny Friday. Sob!!

[Prudie]

is this just a blog nellie or are you saying you are moving because it's now rough where you live? I don't get the stuff about gangs para 1.
The links don't work btw.

[Mick-Talbot]

please apply a liberal use of imagination)




Well I think a liberal use of imagination is needed.
What The Funicular ?

[nellypope]

Mama - Ahh yes the My Little Pony years! I was never allowed to join in with the other kids (I didn't have a Barbie) !

[nellypope]

With regards to other postees on this thread.

A) no its not a blog, I post here fairly regularly
B) this stuff really does go on where I live
C) apologies for lack of working links

!

[mccfluff]

im guessing the first bit - kids on summer holidays?

[nellypope]

The decline of our neighbourhoods?

[woofgang]

you seem to have set the pics to private....

[albaqwerty]

We all live in neighbourhoods. It's a collective responsibility to make sure they are civilised.

[Maydup]

I can't think how Frosty Jacks will help the situation nelly, but i'm sure you know what you're doing.

[nellypope]

Thanks Woofgang will look into it, you live and learn eh! :-)

Maidup - if you saw her, you would know what I mean! Reckon she could probably eat Jeremy Kyle for breakfast and wash him down with cheap cider.

[Mick-Talbot]

Where did the little girl take the electric key?

[nellypope]

It fell out of her pocket! The verbal abuse, was appalling though. When I was a kid, we all drove our parents mad over the summer, and there were always badly behaved "areas" of all towns, villages, cities, but it seems that these days it's worse. Why?

[Mick-Talbot]

Yeah but did she take it for a day out ?
How come she lost it on the way home?

[woofgang]

I am guessing she took it to the shop to get money put on it.

[nellypope]

Her lazy mother (and believe me you don't get an arse that large by doing the shopping, cleaning and getting the electric from the newsagents yourself) sent her to get electric on it!

[nellypope]

My area used to be lovely, picturesque, but now I seem to be surrounded by Jeremy Kyle Show contestants.