REPORTS that a mob of 30 boys caused “mayhem” while wandering along a main road late at night have prompted calls for a crackdown on antisocial behaviour.

Police are said to have told residents the gang caused buses to “swerve” out of the way as they swarmed down the middle of Eastern Road in Brighton in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Darragh Brady said he was also told the group overturned the large council-owned rubbish bins along the road, kicked over traffic cones and got into a fight in nearby Arundel Road.

The 49-year-old said officers told him about the other incidents after his window was smashed when a rock was thrown at it around the same time that night.

Police said they were called at 12.15am to a report youths were acting in a “loud and disorderly manner” along Eastern Road by the junction with Arundel Place and kicking traffic cones.

The incident has prompted Mr Brady to call for police, councillors, politicians and residents to work together to tackle what he claims is a rise in antisocial behaviour in the Kemp Town area of the city.

He said: “I love Brighton and I want it to keep its magic and charm. But it seems we are getting more reports of this type of behaviour.

“This group were causing mayhem on that road.

“The police do a great job considering the funding cuts they have but surely we have to do more than just pick up the pieces. This is Kemp Town we are talking about – it used to be unheard of for this sort of thing to be happening. Let’s do something about it before things get worse.”

Mr Brady wrote to Brighton Kemptown MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle with his concerns and wants to see an action group set up, comprising residents, councillors and police, to find a solution.

Mr Russell-Moyle said any such vandalism was “absolutely out of order” and he expected the police to take such reports seriously and investigate.

He said while he had not received reports of a rise in antisocial behaviour in the area it was something that must be “clamped down on” so there was not a danger of it spreading.

Chief Inspector Chris Veale said officers were dispatched to intercept the group but searched and could not find them. He said a possible link between the report and the window being smashed was being explored although there was no current evidence to connect the two. He added: “We do not currently have evidence of a general problem of antisocial behaviour in this area of Kemp town. However, we are always keen to hear from residents and would encourage anyone experiencing anti-social behaviour to report it.”