Children as young as 11 are getting involved in violent drug gangs in Croydon, according to worried parents throughout the borough.

A series of focus groups conducted by Parentline Plus revealed children were joining gangs after starting secondary school to avoid becoming victims of violent youths.

The focus groups found that deprivation in areas such as Thornton Heath and New Addington was an important factor in children becoming aggressive, falling out of education and getting involved with street yobs in a bid to fit in.

Parents also feared their children’s exposure to domestic violence had caused them irrevocable damage, with some fearing violence and abuse at home may be genetic.

The six focus groups were held in Croydon, Thornton Heath and New Addington after the Government identified a high incidence of youth violence in south London.

Chioma Williams, support co-ordinator of the Croydon focus groups, said parents had spoken of gangs of youths from Lambeth raiding New Addington, with their own children expected to retaliate by older gang members.

She said: “The people doing the mugging are teenagers, but the people that control them are older.

“With gangs making money through drugs, young people can make a lot of money quickly rather than working diligently in a job.”

Mrs Williams, 41, said children were pressured into joining gangs to protect themselves after making the step-up to secondary school. She said once children were indoctrinated it was difficult for them to leave.

She said: “One parent told people one of her daughter’s friends wanted to leave a gang, and went along to a church youth group.

“The gang followed him and tried to get him out.”

She said: “Gangs are about protection and belonging - if you are part of a gang people can’t necessarily get to you.”

Councillor Gavin Barwell, the council’s lead member for safety and cohesion, said he had heard similar concerns from parents and children and was “not surprised” by the group’s findings.

He said: ”I think the evidence is that the north of the borough in particular and to a lesser extent New Addington are real concerns.

“I think we have made some progress over the last year and a half but we’re not there yet.

“It’s an issue where you need to keep constant vigilance.”