A MAN was shot twice at point-blank range after confronting a gang of teenagers hanging round cars near his home.

The 59-year-old was subjected to verbal abuse from the youths before one pointed an air gun at him and fired twice at his chest. The victim was not hurt, but was left very badly shaken.

He had confronted the teenagers on the Spring Lane Estate in Canterbury, where they had congregated around cars parked close to his home in Devon Road and asked them to move on.

The shooting happened at 8.45pm on Friday and has sparked fear and anger on the estate, where residents have long complained of large and intimidating groups of teenagers.

Police claimed to have successfully tackled the problem through a dispersal order, which allowed officers to split up groups of two or more people who looked likely to cause alarm or distress.

But the six-month order, granted under the Anti Social Behaviour Act 2003, ended in December and now residents say the gangs are back and bigger than ever.

Ray Fox, who used to run a youth club at Spring Lane, said: "It’s been just the same since the order was ended. It’s mainly nuisance things like wing mirrors being broken."

Spring Lane action group member and resident Blue Cooper said: "The gangs are getting larger, as large as 15 people. There are groups of youths gathering regularly but I’ve not seen police patrols up here since the dispersal order went.

"We’ve had meetings with social services and council staff but there has not been any action in terms of providing green space or leisure facilities."

The offender who used the air gun is described as about 16 or 17-years-old and was wearing a white hooded top and white jogging bottoms.

Police also attended a field fire close to Warwick Road on the estate on Saturday evening. Youths were spoken to but no arrests were made.

A police spokesman said: "We have been monitoring the situation in this area very closely. Patrolling has continued since the end of the dispersal order but we are aware that there has been an increase in reported incidents.

"As a result we may have to consider whether to use our powers again and reintroduce the order."

Anyone with any information on those involved in anti-social behaviour should call the Public Safety Unit on 01227 289260.