Members of two families in the community of Seafield, St Catherine, have given their own meaning to the biblical saying, "and a child shall lead them".

THE WEEKEND STAR has learnt the families have been at 'war' since a dispute between two children about a video game.

It is reported that the families have battled each other on a regular basis, turning a road in the community into a literal war zone despite living just a few metres apart.

The Area Five police said they recently learnt of the situation after a woman from one of the families had to seek medical attention for a broken arm and other injuries, after an altercation with a male member of the rival family.

THE WEEKEND STAR was told the members of the two families were once close but things changed two weeks ago.

accused of theft

It is said that one child accused the other of stealing a cartridge and instead of working things out between the children, an all-out war between the families began. Since then, there have been a number of altercations as the family members clash everytime they meet.

"Yu si anyweh inna di community dem buck, a war. A pure tings dem a gwaan wid... An di whole a dem was big friend eno," Michael Powell, a resident of the community said.

The families are said to use bottles, sticks, stones or just about anything they can get a hold of in their battles.

"Once yu si dem start argue everybody know seh dem fi jus go fi cover 'cause a pure flinging a go gwaan... None a dem naw back dung," another resident, Shirley explained.

Both families are said to consist of at least eight members including children as young as five, who are also said to be participants.

"Weh day ya, two a di likkle bwoy pickney dem clash a one shop and a we affi part dem... Di two a dem hug up and a thump it out," Shirley further added.

In the midst of the war, the families have devised ways of showing disgust for each other.

throwing urine

Throwing stones on each other's house top and sneaking up in the wee hours of the morning to throw filth and urine in each other's yard have become popular modes of attack.

In the latest incidents, one of the family members, a 25-year-old woman, was reportedly assaulted after she refused to take an alternate route to a friend's house.

It was said that since the dispute, members of her family resorted to using alternate routes to get to their destinations as they try to avoid being seen by the other family.

The woman was said to have been on her way to visit a friend who lives beside her attacker. The accused man reportedly ordered her to turn but she continued along her way.

"That incident is how we heard of the situation because that place is normally a quiet area... It's really sad how a little argument between two kids could have sparked such foolishness...," said Detective Inspector Howard Pinnock of the Area Five police.

He said they will continue to look into the matter and attempt to get things back to normality.