A PENSIONER was forced from her Worcester home during Freshers' Week because of noisy students throwing late night parties.

Naomi Roberts is one of a group of neighbours driven to distraction over the last year by 'rogue' students in Nuffield Close, St John's, Worcester despite signs urging them to 'keep the noise down'.

The 70-year old retired grandmother has even baked cakes for the six male University of Worcester students to be friendly and keep the peace but so far it has not stopped their selfish behaviour.

In her desperation for peace and quiet she left her home to stay with her son in Weymouth during Freshers' Week after the students threw one party too many. She was even told by a police community support officer that if she did not like the situation 'moving was always an option'.

Mrs Roberts, who wants to stay, has lived in the house since it was built 26 years ago but slowly students have taken over so that now around half of the homes in the small cul-de-sac are occupied by them. She says the value of her home has plummeted because she believes no-one would now want to live there.

Residents have complained for the last 12 months about disturbance, including to children and the elderly. Complaints include student parties with up to 40 revellers shouting and playing loud music in the back garden, six taxis queuing at a time, swearing and other inconsiderate behaviour including shouting, screaming, squealing and beer bottles being broken in the street.

Mrs Roberts, who insists she is not 'anti-student' said two of the students, had been around to apologise for their behaviour on Monday night. However, she said they have been given 'chances enough' to change their behaviour.

She said: "I had already had enough by Monday night (of Freshers' Week). We call it 'the party palace'. We made a decision to move out of the house for Freshers' Week and went down to my son's."

She told a neighbour: "We have left our home for the week. It was that or I would be taking medication for stress and anxiety. This not the way we planned our retirement. It is about time someone actually did something instead of talking about it."

A student at the house, who declined to be named, said: "We have cleared it up with the university and we're hoping to be a community again and build bridges with everyone."

David Wright, chairman of the Nuffield Close Residents Association (NCRA), is on the point of giving up the role after he said the University of Worcester's "SSHHH" campaign to keep neighbourhoods quiet had failed. However, he said students had been around to apologise and offer a fresh start since the Worcester News reporter spoke to someone at the house.

Mr Wright said other parts of St John's had also been affected, including residents in Blenheim Road, Windsor Avenue, Woodstock Road and Farley Street. He is suggesting residents associations, once formed, should merge into a larger, St John's Residents Association.

A landlord and other students are also part of the NCRA. One landlord, who rents out another property in the close to students, said: "How long does it take before the university says 'enough is enough'?"

New students arrived on Saturday, September 13. The "SSHHH campaign" was introduced by the university, West Mercia Police and Worcestershire County Council for Freshers' Week between Monday, September 15 and Friday, September 19 to reduce any adverse impact on the community.

But Mr Wright said the campaign had not worked. Nuffield Close had gone from three houses of multiple occupancy for students to nine in the last 12 months as residents sell up and leave.

The residents association was formed 12 months ago to try and foster more 'community cohesion'.

Mr Wright said this was not a case of 'us and them' as students had also been affected by noise.

He said: "The university needs to sort it out. We now feel all eyes are on the university to intervene and either rehouse this rogue household on campus or send them home.

Last week I felt like resigning my position and disbanding the residents association because of this rogue element. I really did feel, particularly last week, that we were flogging a dead horse.

"If residents had a party week that just happened to coincide with key study and exam periods, what would students think?"

Sgt John Lawrence of West Mercia Police said: "We are aware of concerns raised by residents in Nuffield Close and we are working with the university to address these concerns and help ensure students and residents can continue to live and work alongside each other in the community."

The comments made by the police community support officer are being looked into.

A spokesman for the University of Worcester said: "The University takes its commitment to the community very seriously and this campaign is part of our determination to address any issues that arise and to ensure that local residents and students can live side-by-side in a peaceful manner.

The University of Worcester is home to around 12,000 students, and taking this number into account, receives a relatively small number of complaints each year.

"One of the reasons for extending the existing Operation SSHH campaign over the course of Freshers’ Week was to give people more opportunity to express their thoughts and to help us to address any problems swiftly.

"We are aware of some issues in Nuffield Close and are currently working with both those students concerned and the residents to find a satisfactory resolution."