TROUBLED youngsters, some battling drink and drug addictions, have a fresh temptation on their doorstep after a petrol station was given permission to sell booze.

Around 70 youngsters, aged between 11 and 19, attend St Luke's School and the neighbouring youth centre on Cricklade Road.

The school specialises in teaching youngsters with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

And the youth centre handles youngsters who have been expelled from school and who are not in work or training - or who have had drink and drug problems. The BP garage on Cricklade Road asked for council permission to sell alcohol.

But St Luke's headteacher Zoe Lattimer said it was a bad idea and objected at a council meeting yesterday.

"As much as I trust the intentions of our youngsters some of our older children may well be tempted," she said.

"My worry is that these young people the youth service are working with will have a bad day and nip to the petrol station and buy a few cans of lager.

"The problem is the petrol station is on a main road and will be very visible."

She was backed up by Rosemary Shaw, chair of governors at St Luke's.

She said: "The opportunity would be there for them so easily - I feel very strongly that alcohol shouldn't be sold here."

Hilary Palmer, who represented BP at the hearing, said staff would be given strict training on selling alcohol, challenge everyone for ID who looked under 21 and that a pub and off-licence were also just as close to the school and youth centre. Police had not objected to the application.

The three-councillor licensing panel approved the application - but limited hours of selling to 9am and 11pm.

Richard Roberts, is the project manager for Smash - Swindon Mentoring and Self Help.

The group runs a mentoring scheme for young people and he said he has been concerned about the growing number of places selling alcohol for some time.

"Selling this close to St Luke's and the youth centre can't be constructive," he said.

"For a lot of these companies everything is all about profit - they don't think about the consequences of selling alcohol in every single outlet they can."