Residents angered by students smoking in streets by college

5:30am Friday 21st September 2007

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NEIGHBOURING residents have been angered by students congregating to smoke on streets around Peter Symonds College, Winchester.

Residents on roads near the sixth form college have said around a hundred youngsters daily gather on their streets. They say they leave butts in the street and make a noise, which disturbs residents.

“Why should the college stop smoking on their premises and then push the problem on to us?”

College neighbour, Gunilla Jones.

Lesley Forrest, of Hatherley Road, said: "It's outrageous. It's dispersing the problem from the college to the neighbours. There's a sea of cigarette butts."

Dr Forrest added there were students on her street before school, at lunch and during morning and afternoon breaks.

She said the college had sent teachers out to address the problem but that it only succeeded in moving the students further down the road.

Gunilla Jones, of Cranworth Road, said: "Why should the college stop smoking on their premises and then push the problem on to us?"

The college said they have prohibited students from smoking on site, in anticipation of an impending law change.

From October 1, it will be illegal to sell tobacco to under-18s and principal Neil Hopkins said the college could not be seen to encourage or condone smoking.

Mr Hopkins said: "I do realise it's causing annoyance and we're doing what we can. We're hoping that after October 1, it will be harder to obtain cigarettes.