Helen Eadie wants a curfew for teenage troublemakers

The Labour MSP for Dunfermline East said her vehicle was surrounded by a mob in Cowdenbeath who started rocking the car and throwing missiles at it.

She said she would favour a curfew for young people under the age of 15 to keep them off the streets at night.

The incident happened in Chancellor Gordon Brown's constituency.

The Holyrood backbencher said she was confronted with the type of anti-social behaviour that her constituents had raised concerns about.

She told BBC Scotland's Newsdrive programme: "It was frightening for me, but the reason I was there was to respond to the concerns of my constituents.

I had to get one family taken home in an unmarked police car on Friday night - that's how bad it is Helen Eadie MSP

"My constituents have been living under siege. They've been under curfew imposed on them by these young people."

Ms Eadie said a group of about 100 young people had been throwing missiles at residents, climbing on roofs and vandalising cars.

"I had to get one family taken home in an unmarked police car on Friday night - that's how bad it is," she said.

The MSP said she wanted to see dispersal orders enforced and if this was unsuccessful she would call for a curfew clampdown.

"We need parents to accept their responsibilities as well in this - they should know where their youngsters are," she added.

"They cannot be allowed to terrorise people."

Force meeting

Fife Constabulary's Ch Supt Jim Rodden also called for parents to take more responsibility for the "sizeable minority" of youths "bent on making trouble".

"It takes more than officers from Fife Constabulary to tackle the problems of youth disorder in Cowdenbeath and other parts of Fife," he said.

"I would remind parents to ask themselves - do I know where my child is and who he or she is with."

The force is to hold a meeting with community leaders and other agencies in Cowdenbeath to discuss a long-term solution to youth disorder in the town.