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People living in London Road, Chesterton, say they regularly felt intimidated by gangs of youngsters hanging about on the dirt track behind their homes.
The children drank and urinated against walls, climbed on top of garages, shouted at families and peered through people's windows.
Newcastle Safer Communities Partnership has now spent £3,000 installing a galvanised steel fence at the Rowley Avenue end of the track, and a lockable gate at the Brittain Avenue end, meaning only residents will have access to the land.
Douglas Fryer's house, in London Road, backs on to the track, and like many of his neighbours he welcomed the new security measures.
%3Cbody%3E%3Cdiv%20id%3D%22adDiv%22%3E%3CA%20HREF%3D%22http%3A//ads.anm.co.uk/ADCLICK/CID%3D0000b139bb3f965200000000/AAMSZ%3D452x118/SITE%3DTHISISSENT/AREA%3DNEWS/SUBAREA%3DHOME/ARTICLE%3D668700/acc_random%3D9288109734/pageid%3D/RS%3D10347.10307.10367.10368.10371.%22%20target%3D%22_new%22%3E%3CIMG%20SRC%3D%22http%3A//iad.anm.co.uk/house/1x1.gif%22%20ALT%3D%22Click%20here%21%22%20border%3D0%20style%3D%22margin-bottom%3A%200px%3B%22%3E%3C/A%3E%3C/div%3EThe 90-year-old said: "Before they put the gates up we used to get lots of children on the dirt track. They were just pests really. The gates should make a difference."
His neighbour, a 65-year-old woman who did not wish to be named, said: "From May last year until about September it was horrendous.
"There was a certain group of children who would intimidate residents, shouting at us if we were in the back garden.
"On one occasion I felt so intimidated by one girl that I had to call the police.
"Hopefully the gate will make a difference. They could still climb over it, but if they do we'll just call the police."
Sandra Hambleton, county and borough councillor for the area, provided £1,937.50 of funding for the scheme from Staffordshire County Council's members' initiative.
Newcastle Borough Council provided £600, while Aspire Housing and the Chesterton Locality Action Group each gave £200.
Mrs Hambleton said: "There has been a lot of anti-social behaviour going on in that area. It's a gathering point for young people
"We just wanted to make people feel safer and more comfortable, especially the elderly residents.
"Hopefully we can get the young people off the streets and into youth clubs.
"By putting the gates up we probably will move the problem elsewhere, so we need to talk with the young people.
"But the first priority is making people feel safe.
"By installing the gates, we are responding directly to residents' complaints and concerns.
"This will also stop people using the land as a short cut."
Councillor Phil Maskery, pictured, borough council cabinet member for safer and stronger communities, added: "Some of the residents who have been affected are elderly and have been left feeling frightened and vulnerable."
"The gates will give householders privacy and help them to feel safe again."
Staffordshire Police and Chesterton Estate Residents' Association have also been involved in the project, along with the One-Stop Shop, in London Road.
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