Squatters and drug addicts have been making residents' lives a misery.

A father-of-two says his children are so petrified of the individuals they are scared to come and see him for their weekend visits.

The man, who asked not to be identified, said the problems on one floor of Docker Court on Colchester's Barn Hall estate have been bad since February.

He said: "There are squatters coming and going and the council won't do a thing to help me move away. There are people coming and going all night long kicking and screaming.

"There are needles and beer cans and broken glass on the stairs," said the council tenant who has been in his flat for 12 years.

He said they shout and scream at him and his children, both under ten, when they walk by.

"They are petrified. They are glued to me as we go up the stairs."

The man said they throw rubbish out of the windows and have damaged cars, and that many other residents have complained to the council.

Phil Adams, general manager of Colchester Borough Homes, said police were regularly being called to Docker Court.

He said: "The council is working to help gather evidence. As soon as we have sufficient evidence to commence legal proceedings against the protagonists we will certainly do so.

Mr Adams said residents suffering because of the situation would be considered for a priority housing transfer to a different council property.

"The man's case has been referred to a housing officer for consideration for a council interest transfer, a priority transfer."

Mr Adams said the council took a "very dim and serious view" of such behaviour and would not tolerate it.

"We are going to take swift and firm action, we are committed to that."

Labour ward councillor David Canning said housing people like drug addicts among regular council tenants creates bad feeling, and legislation doesn't protect them.

"I'm preparing to put a document to the housing, community safety and health policy panel to ask them to look at this problem. And look at how they can set social housing for people with special needs like this.

"We should be looking at specific social housing not necessarily out of the area. It should be specific and in an area where it can be monitored closely by housing officers."

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.