AN OLD soldier who survived six years of war in Europe and Africa is being terrorised in his Dorchester home by a group of catapult-wielding teenagers.

Widower Bill Chutter, who celebrates his 91st birthday this week, has a stack of medals for his brave service against Hitler's armies in Italy, France, Germany and North Africa.

But the former signalman, who served under Field Marshall Montgomery in the Normandy landings, spent yesterday - the 60th anniversary of VE day - trapped in his home.

He says he is afraid to go outside to confront the gang of youths who are making his life a misery.

Mr Chutter, who is registered blind, says the worst incident was when the teenagers smashed the front door of his Great Western Road home with high-powered catapults.

He said: "I was sitting here in my lounge when suddenly the door shattered. It's toughened glass and it made quite a noise. It really was quite frightening.

"Then recently the group of five or six were in the next yard bouncing their ball against the wall for about an hour."

Mr Chutter said the same gang of youngsters sits on the wall outside his house trying to goad him into action.

"I know they want me to bang on the window or to go out and talk to them but I won't. It's almost like they're taunting me sometimes."

Mr Chutter's neighbour, Paul Prickett, says the whole block of flats is being targeted by the gang.

Civil servant Mr Prickett, 51, said: "Every day there's a bunch of lads who are walking along West Walks firing stones at the building.

"I've had a car windscreen smashed, Bill's door has been put through and several of the other residents have also been hit.

"The block is mainly made up of old people and many of them now are too scared to go outside. They used to sit on the balcony in the afternoons to catch the sun, but they don't any more.

"I'm not easily scared, but I won't go out there between 4pm and 5pm any more because it's just too dangerous."

Mr Prickett, who is a residents' representative and helps out the pensioners in the block, said he reports every incident to housing association Magna and to the police.

He said: "I can't fault either of them - they've both been brilliant. Magna have said they'll be putting in CCTV soon and the police are doing their best.

"I just hope that the lads themselves are going to realise that it's not right to be doing this and will leave us alone."

A spokesman for Dorset Police said they were aware of the problems and were working with Magna towards a solution.

He said: "I would encourage people to report incidents of anti-social behaviour whenever they occur."

Magna's area housing manager, Stuart Martindale, said he was aware of the problems residents were having.

He said: "It's a very difficult issue because obviously the problems are coming from people on the public highway.

"We are going to put CCTV in on our property to help deter potential troublemakers and we are due to speak to Inspector Fry this week to see what can be done about it."