A teenager from Helston has issued an open apology on behalf of young people in the town following a series of claims about bad behaviour in recent weeks.

It is after allegations were made about ducks and swans being attacked at Coronation Park.

In the most recent allegation on Facebook, it was claimed that a gang of young lads were seen attacking the birds at Helston Boating Lake on the evening of Monday, August 31.

The group are alleged to have been “smoking drugs and flicking the still lit end of a marijuana joint at a swan, who swallowed it.”

According to the claim, the group then proceeded to kick a duck in the head before following, shouting at, and intimidating two older people.

It came a week after police confirmed they were investigating an alleged incident of ducks being punched.

Read next: Police investigate after teenagers allegedly 'punch ducks' at Helston Boating Lake

In July the town council agreed to help the South Kerrier Alliance, which runs the park, bring in two youth workers during August and September, following complaints about "a significant number of young people congregating" around the skate park and on the Old Cattle Market steps and "definite evidence of low-level drug use."

Joseph Lander, who turns 18 this month, subsequently wrote an open message on Facebook to say: "Just a message from some of us young ones in Helston - We apologise for the behaviour of our peers as of late, and we hope that the disrespectful behaviour of the small minority of Helston's youth doesn't hinder the viewpoint and image you have of us and the future of Helston."

He has since also called on the town council and younger generation of Helston to work together more closely, and for younger people to stand for election, declaring: "Young people are the future."

Joe told the Packet: "I think the town council for a long time has been filled with older people who want to know the views of young people, but there hasn't really been too many young people actually run for election.

"I feel that the needs of younger people are often put behind other projects and that funding towards larger social projects like building up parks and increasing larger businesses within the town would help bring the youth in.

"I think involving them in decisions made by the council also makes a big difference, regularly holding polls to decide what the young people want to see improved and opening up conversations with them would make them feel more included, rather then feeling left out and as if their decisions don't matter, like many young people in the town do today.

"Young people are the future and we take up a large portion of the town's population, and yet our say when it comes to the way the town is run is often overlooked and many people don't choose to contact us when it comes to implementing changes in the town."

Read next: Drug use and 'intimidating behaviour' causes concern at Helston park

Joe, who grew up and went to school in Helston, where he helped run many of the council meetings at Helston Community College and also ran the school drama club - in which he was the only student to ever write and direct a production there - before heading to Truro College last summer, is also a member of Helston Air Cadets and previously played drums and the cornet in Helston Town Band.

He believed there was often "a lot of negativity" over the image that older generations had towards young people - "That we are naive to subjects or that we simply don't care."

But he said: "That's not the case, it's just we are never being asked to speak out and often are dismissed when it comes to making social change.

"Putting a positive spin on the young people of Helston and increasing the amount of positive messages put out about them in the media and from the council itself may encourage more young people to get involved in the way that this town develops, as after all we are the people who have to live in it in the future, so we should be developing it to last for that time."