We're not all yobs - that was the message from youngsters in Pickering who are fed up at being blamed for the actions of drunken vandals and fear their rights may be threatened.

Last week, the Gazette & Herald reported how drunken groups who leave litter and broken glass strewn across the castle grounds have caused nearby residents and English Heritage staff a major headache.

Now a dozen teenagers who use the castle responsibly have voiced their concerns, after some were questioned by police.

Fifteen-year-old Sarah Potter, a student at Lady Lumley's School, said she felt "falsely labelled", and that her right to "happily socialise" had been taken away.

"We always pick up our litter, and often other people's, and take it to the bin in order to keep the site tidy and help out the staff," she said. "We respect the locals and are happy to talk to them."

She said the castle is one of the most out-of-the-way areas in Pickering, where there is little parkland and no skate park.

"We want the area to be pleasant for tourists just like everybody else," she said. "We do not want to be put in the same class as the people that do cause this trouble."

She and her friends stay at the castle until around 10.30pm, when they see groups arriving in cars with alcohol.

"We do realise they are causing a problem, and we get blamed for it. Because we are here earlier, everyone sees us and they don't see them," said Sarah.

Earlier this year, police introduced a dispersal order in the town, so that they could ban troublemakers from public areas such as the Ropery.

"We don't have a problem with that because we're not the problem," said Cat Bell, 17, a sixth-form student at Lady Lumley's School.

"But we don't want police dealing with this in a way that infringes on our basic freedoms," added Steve Clarkson, 19, who is going to Glasgow University next month.

Site operator Mike Flynn has a lot of sympathy with the young people. "We have a lot of local youngsters come up here and we don't have a problem with them at all," he said. "They've been coming up here for years, that's no trouble. There is a problem with some people, and I don't know how you sort out who."

Every morning he spends up to an hour clearing up broken glass, bottles and normal litter, so that visitors can enjoy picnics and walks in safety.

Ryedale's anti-social behaviour co-ordinator, Fred McManus, said: "We need to differentiate between people who come up here to use the facility responsibly and people who abuse it. It's a fabulous facility to sit and enjoy the view, for people of any age."

He added: "A small minority misuse it and cause a danger. These are the people the police want to target. When the police do come up here they will speak to people harmlessly going about their business.

"Unfortunately, police now have to fill in a form whenever they speak to someone, which makes things more formal, and people are naturally suspicious of that."

He said the young people had to accept this, but added that he would remind the police that the castle needs to be checked when it closes at 6.30pm and later at around 10.30pm.

He added that it was vital that members of the public kept the police informed.

"People have got to phone the police if there's an issue here," he said. "It can be anonymous, but unless police are informed it won't be solved."

PC John Tugwell, of Ryedale Police, said: "There have been problems at Pickering Castle for a number of years and attention is given to the site as often as we can. We need the public, if they see anything - youths climbing walls or breaking bottles - to call us immediately. If we are told, we can do something about it."