Residents of a town have been left shaken following reports of anti-social behaviour, with claims a group named the 'Bungay Mafia' are 'intimidating' locals.

Eastern Daily Press: Former Bungay mayor Sue Collins.Former Bungay mayor Sue Collins. (Image: Bungay Town Council)

People in Bungay claim a group of teenagers loiter in the town centre and complain they have vandalised play equipment, thrown eggs at properties and intimidate residents.

One father, who did not wish to be named, said: "I moved into the town centre about seven months ago and there was definitely a large presence of kids and youths intimidating people, especially early evenings.

"I don't take my children to the park by the doctor's surgery anymore because of the groups of teenagers hanging around drinking, smoking cannabis and generally being intimidating or vandalising the play equipment."

He claimed his children are "terrified" of them.

Eastern Daily Press: Liz Casey, Police locality officer, Lowestoft Police Station. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodLiz Casey, Police locality officer, Lowestoft Police Station. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Another resident said there is a group of teenagers who call themselves "the Bungay mafia" and they "hang around under the Buttercross and make people intimidated with their presence and behaviour."

"Bungay is a small town and they like to think they are a force to be reckoned with, when in actual fact they are just idiots wearing hoodies who think they are in inner London," they said.

However, Bungay Mayor Sue Collins said anti-social behaviour in the town is not isolated to Bungay, and other nearby market towns are "sharing the same problems.

Locality inspector Elizabeth Casey, who is responsible for the two Suffolk Police Safer Neighbourhood Teams in Lowestoft, Beccles and Bungay, said: "There have been instances of anti-social behaviour in Bungay, police are aware and dealing with those responsible swiftly and appropriately.

"Perception and reality are two very different things. We don't have County Lines, we don't have gangs. Groups congregate and if they behave in an unacceptable manner the police will respond and deal appropriately.

"Police are deployed and visible in the area, we have response officers and safer neighbourhood teams who are committed to serving our communities and keeping the public safe.

"If you are presented with a situation where you feel threatened or intimidate, call the police using 999. If the community have any information or intelligent please call police via 101 or report it online."

This paper has seen footage of a group throwing eggs at a Bungay property.