Dozens of teenagers and adult residents of Devon Springs Lane came together last night to fire off their frustrations over the increasingly volatile situation in their neighbourhood.

The problem erupted into violence on Monday night when a 16-year-old reported being attacked in the area.

In an effort to turn the "bad Press into something positive'', parish P.c.

John Lynch-Wade threw out challenges to youngsters and adults at the meeting.

St. Brendan's Hospital head Mr. George Simons would consider allowing them to use a vacant building on the property as a clubhouse -- if teenagers proved they could behave responsibly and parents agreed to supervise them, he said.

The teenagers in turn challenged adults complaining about their behaviour to show them respect and make more effort to get to know them.

"Don't be scared of us, even Dr. Saul (Finance Minister and parish MP) came up and had a knock of cricket with us,'' one teenager said.

But several fed-up residents complained to P.c. Lynch-Wade that the teenagers were out of control.

They were blocking the road and intimidating them as they drove by in their cars, one woman said.

"It's not their neighbourhood. It's all of our neighbourhood,'' she said.

"The noise is exorbitant. We would just like a little peace and quiet when we come home from work.'' Another woman said, "It's like they own the road.'' She claimed a staff member driving into St. Brendan's with a patient was confronted by a teenager who pulled a plastic toy gun on her.

P.c. Lynch-Wade urged the adult residents to "sign up now'' to supervise the proposed clubhouse on a casual basis to get the kids off the street.

He also urged them to help supervise what is now twice weekly night use of St.

Brendan's recreation centre by the kids.

If parents were willing to help keep an eye on them on a roster basis, the hospital would allow the teenagers to use it more often, he said. Around 50 people attended the meeting, which was held at St. Brendan's and conducted by Mr. Simons and P.c. Lynch-Wade in an effort to address the growing problem of youth hanging out on a wall opposite St. Brendan's main entrance.

Police reported yesterday that a teenager riding past St. Brendan's on Monday night was allegedly set upon by another teenager.

A struggle took place after which the 16-year-old claimed he was hit in the head with a rock, Police spokesman Sgt. Gary Venning said.

He was taken to hospital where he was treated for head injuries and later released.

Sgt. Venning said another 16-year-old Devonshire boy was arrested in connection with the incident and inquiries were continuing. Teenagers at the meeting insisted the incident was nothing to do with them -- blaming it on "outside'' folk.

They also blamed residents' complaints of loud music, bike racing, beer drinking and vandalism on people from outside the neighbourhood.

When Mr. Simons asked the roughly 20 teenagers at the meeting if they would consider not hanging out on the wall opposite the hospital, several demanded, "Where are we supposed to go?'' P.c. Lynch-Wade, after offering them the clubhouse, urged them to report anyone who was racing bikes in the street or drinking alcohol or vandalising St. Brendan's.

"If you say nothing you are condoning what is going on,'' he told them.