A FRAIL Hampshire pensioner terrorised by schoolchildren has welcomed teacher patrols around his neighbourhood.

As reported in yesterday’s Daily Echo, the 85-year-old was left terrified after youngsters stoned windows at his Southampton home before kicking his door in.

Police say the youngsters responsible are believed to have come from Oasis Academy Lords Hill and have sent officers into the school to talk with teachers.

Daily Echo: Click below to see a video of today's headlines in sixty seconds

Extra police patrols of the immediate area are being carried out – but teachers have also begun patrolling the local community during their lunch breaks.

The victim, a retired postman who the Daily Echo is not naming, has lived in the same house in Lancaster Road, Lordshill, for 75 years.

He is now faced with a bill for hundreds of pounds to replace four broken window panes, which have been temporarily boarded up. The pensioner, a former pupil of the school, said: “It’s good that teachers are going to be keeping an eye out for troublemakers.

“It is a shame that they have to spend their time doing that but it now sadly has to be done.

“In all my time at that school I never once heard of anyone getting bullied.

“I don’t know why some children these days would behave like that – there is no excuse.”

Schools secretary Ed Balls yesterday urged Oasis Academy Lords Hill to use all its powers to maintain discipline among its pupils while on a ministerial visit to Southampton.

The secretary of state for children, schools and families said: “Nobody could ever excuse that kind of behaviour. It is very bad.

I think any head teacher who ever found out that pupils from their school were disruptive or throwing stones against anybody, especially at an elderly person, would be absolutely furious and embarrassed.”

“The school must be responsible for what is happening to young people from the school, before school, at lunchtimes and after school.

“My message to head teachers is that we will back them 100 per cent in using the powers they have got to keep discipline.”

Oasis Academy Lords Hill head teacher Ian Golding said he was “appalled” that any of his students could carry out such an attack and said that photographs were now being looked at to try and identify those responsible.

He added that “strong measures”

would be taken against any student found to be involved.

■ Two youths were last night helping police with their enquiries.