HAMPTON Wick residents who are being attacked by youths throwing objects from the station have confronted railway officials, demanding they act before someone is seriously injured.

Two young children have already been hurt by objects launched at them from the platform and many residents now say they are to frightened to go into their gardens.

Last Wednesday over 100 residents packed into a public meeting attended by representatives from Network Rail, South West Trains and British Transport Police to demand the company puts up some fencing to protect their safety. After being given a rough ride' by the residents, the company have now agreed to return in three week's time to discuss a solution.

The problem started last year when trees on the embankment were cut down for safety reasons, exposing the adjacent houses and making them an easy target for vandals, who have caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to houses and cars.

One resident, a mother of three, has seen her six year old hit in the eye with a stick, her three-year old approached by a stranger through the fence and even her baby has been targeted.

She said: "Just recently we were in the garden when two youths began shouting horrific abuse at me. I told the children to ignore them and after a few minutes they disappeared. But as a train came back into the station they came back and chucked a barrage of soda bottles and bizarrely a packet of butter, which hit my crawling baby. I was furious and shouted at the train guard to grab them. He shrugged his shoulders and shouted back sorry love nothing I can do' before the train pulled off.

"It's not such a big deal to install a fence, does someone have to be seriously injured or worse to make it happen?"

Jane Thompson of Seymour Road has spent £2,000 on toughened glass for her home, after numerous windows were broken. She said: "We have nearly been hit by things that have been chucked from the station. It has got so bad it is dangerous just going out in the garden.

"Last week £700 damage was done on cars parked below the station. Kids are jumping over the railings, on the tracks and chucking stones at anything. They can go under the platform, we have seen them do drugs and all sorts of things. We were clearing up the garden after the winter and we found 20 stones, we have lived there for years and never found that before."

Dr Vincent Cable said: "The people who came from the railway company really got a very rough ride from residents and they promised to come back in three weeks with some solutions. I think they were quite taken aback and shaken by the number of people and strength of feeling.

"It has been a year since they had promised to build proper fencing but nothing so far has been done. The problem is the homes are now completely unprotected and the company know the problems have been happening for months. There is a total lack of security at the station and children are playing on the tracks. It is a totally unsatisfactory and unsafe environment. The rail company has been grossly negligent in not addressing problem earlier."

A spokeswoman for Network Rail said: "Network Rail are grateful to all involved who took their time to express their feelings to us.

"As a result of the meeting Network Rail, South West Trains and British Transport Police will meet to discuss what can be done to address residents concerns. We are taking the residents issues very seriously and will be undertaking a full assessment of the issues raised."