MALMESBURY Abbey gates are to be shut from 5pm until 9am every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, to combat anti-social behaviour by young people.

The action, which will start tomorrow, has been requested by the police following a string of problems, including people found urinating in the abbey porch, vandalism and an increase of litter, including beer cans, found in the churchyard.

The parochial church council said it regretted the move but blamed young people in Malmesbury for fouling the churchyard and said the action was necessary to prevent further damage to the church.

PCC secretary Janet Barton said: "This was an agonising decision that had to be made. We had a very strong letter from the police reflecting our feeling that something had to be done."

The Rev David Littlefair, vicar of Malmesbury Abbey, and chairman of the PCC, said he was upset that the church had to take such drastic measures. "I feel very sad about it," he said. "We have a responsibility for the churchyard and we have to try and do what we can to protect it."

The churchyard with cloister gardens, which will remain open, have been a popular meeting point for young people in the town but the PCC said it is fed up with the problems they cause.

Mrs Barton said: "The church should be an open place but when it is open it is desecrated by the youth of Malmesbury.

"They foul up the entrance to the abbey and damage 1,300 year-old stones that are some of the best examples of Norman architecture in Europe.

"At weekends it is up to the abbey staff to wash out the porch before 8am communion."

Last September youths were blamed when a bench dedicated to a lost loved one in the memorial garden had to be removed.

Sergeant Gavin Williams of Malmesbury Police said: "We are aware that there is disorderly behaviour within the abbey grounds.

"That whole area keeps coming to my notice and we requested that the parochial church council close the gates at weekends.

"We hope that the people who want to use the churchyard for proper reasons still can, while we keep out people looking to cause damage."

The gates will be opened for any special services which are held after the gates would normally be closed.

The abbey's honorary verger Bill Blake had tried to open dialogue with youths causing problems in the memorial gardens in September 2002.

He said he strongly supported the move to close the gates. "It is a core minority that is causing the problems," he said. "There has been an improvement in their activities and I have had some sensible conversations with some of them, which I was quite pleased about.

"The police are now taking a more robust line. I think it is about time."