SHOP owners in Hendon have hit back at pupils who they claim terrorise the streets outside of school hours.

Scores of school children descend on Church Road and Brent Street from about 3pm, with many lingering in large groups outside take-aways and newsagents before they catch a bus home.

This has led to complaints about disturbances from traders in the area, who claim to have witnessed fights, abuse and theft by pupils in uniform.

One shop owner, who did not want to be named for fear of reprisals, said; “It is dangerous to be out on the streets when the kids are out of school.

“It's just the sheer number of them, and some of the language they use is shocking.

“Most of them are coming on a bus from different areas and don't care about this area.”

Another shop owner, who claims to have been the target of abuse in the past, said: “They always go round in big groups, they don't move out of the way for people and can be very intimidating.

“I have to be very careful who comes into the shop, but sometimes there are just so many of them.”

There were also calls for more policing around the area and for teachers to take more responsibility for the actions of their pupils.

A shop keeper in Church Road said: “There needs to be more police officers out there. When they are do turn up they have a good relationship with the kids, but it needs to be more regular.”

The trouble rose to further prominence last week when a schoolboy, thought to be from St Mary's High Church of England School, in Downage, was seen to punch and shatter the passenger side window of an elderly couple's car while they were driving along Church Road.

Kate Roskell, headteacher at the School, said they have a good working relationship with the police and added they carry out “comprehensive” lessons on how to pupils can become good citizens.

She said: "It is obviously of great personal concern to me that my students are seen to be behaving well, especially when they are on the way to or from school.

“The school has also taken the decision over and above our statutory duties to occasionally carry out after-school patrols between the two school sites to monitor the behaviour of students on their way home and promote good conduct.

"As a school we deplore this type of behaviour and we will take all possible steps to identify any students involved."

Sergeant Steve Peyton, from the Hendon Safer Neighbourhood Team, said they do carry out regular patrols around school leaving hours and are committed to dealing with any disorder.

He said: “We recognise that it is certainly a potential hotspot if not a hotspot already when it comes to the number of children coming out after school."

“We provide a visible presence on the street but obviously we would like to work closely with the school.

So far, no arrests have been made in relation to the attack on the pensioner's car.