AN ELDERLY couple who refused to give cash to a group of young carol singers at Christmas say they are now being terrorised by the youngsters in revenge.

Pensioners Joan and Jimmy Cronin and their son Paul, who live on the North Cray estate, all have special needs.

They say they are forced to cower in their house behind closed curtains and with the lights off, pretending not to be home and hoping their tormentors will leave them alone.

The couple, aged 71 and 77, and their 44-year-old son, spent Christmas with two of their windows boarded up after the gang of around eight teenagers smashed them.

The Cronins paid to replace their windows, only to have them smashed again.

Last week the vandals smashed the couple's porch and two days later they were back to pull down the front garden fence.

Mrs Cronin says their neighbours know what is happening but are afraid to intervene in case they are the next target.

She said: "My nerves are in a terrible state."

The teenagers have also bombarded the Cronins' home with stones, mud, ice cream and other materials.

Mrs Cronin says she tried to reason with the gang but received abuse in return.

The couple reported the incidents to the police but say officers turn up too late to catch the gang.

Mrs Cronin said when they reported the first incident officers asked what they had done to upset the teenagers.

The couple, who have lived on the estate in North Cray for 44 years, say they are desperate for help.

Their home is in one of the newest Community Safety Action Zones, where police are supposed to be cracking down on anti-social behaviour.

A Bexley police spokesman says officers had visited the couple to speak to them about the incidents and the Cronins have been urged to ring 999 if it happens again.

In the meantime, their road receives regular patrols.

She added: "We are trying to provide the Cronins with reassurance and trying to identify the culprits."