Ms Phillips’ Mount Hutton home sits adjacent to a neglected lane way that backs onto Katie Reserve, where youth often dwell.

She lives alone.

In the past 14 years Ms Phillips has lived there, her fence has been kicked in 15 times and defaced by graffiti countless times more.

Ms Phillips said she believed there were a few small groups of teenagers who plagued the area.

Each time she has confronted them she has copped verbal abuse – even stone throwing.

Last year a pair of teenagers threw a large rock through Ms Phillips’ bedroom window, where she was laying in bed.

It narrowly missed her and fell to the floor, shattering her window.

Ms Phillips said she was concerned about her safety.

“I just want to be left alone to live my life in peace,” she said.

Ms Phillips said she had approached Lake Macquarie council multiple times to ask for help to manage the problem, but had gotten nowhere.

She said she and her Nursery Grove neighbours wanted to see the lane way closed.

A council statement said the lane way – which it owned –  could not be closed because it was a main thoroughfare between Windale and Lake Macquarie Shopping Centre, and was required for emergency access to surrounding areas.

The council had, however, included the area in its Graffiti Hotspot Program, which recruited young offenders in the Juvenille Justice NSW system to scrub off the tags.

As for the personal attacks, there is one other option for Ms Phillips: to buy the lane way from the council.

In this instance, it would become private property and the offenders would be trespassing.

A land valuation has not yet been carried out, but Ms Phillips – a pensioner – said she would be forced to consider buying it if she wanted to put an end to the problem.

“I pay $1400 a year in council rates,” she said.

“The council should be able to do something about it. But I’ve come to the conclusion that I might have to [buy it].”