Residents are to take action against anti-social behaviour by youths on a problem estate in Braintree.

Gangs of mainly teenage boys have been running amok in Bartram Avenue, speeding around in cars, defecating on pathways and hurling abuse at residents.

Garages have also been broken into and broken bottles strewn along the road.

Now East Braintree Tenants' and Residents' Association is acting to end the misery for people living in the area, which is mainly council-owned homes.

Residents, faced with the problem on the estate for about two years, are being urged to keep a diary of anti-social events to help bring action against the offenders and a public meeting is being organised to discuss the situation and how to tackle it further.

Police patrols have been stepped up in response to requests by the association and the garages used as a hang-out by the gangs are soon to be pulled down.

Pensioner Dennis Wicks said he had been threatened in the past with violence.

Mr Wicks, who is a committee member on the residents' association, said: "Many of the people who live round here are elderly and feel intimidated and vulnerable. I have been threatened before with being kicked but I've yet to see anything happen.

"They cause such a nuisance and walk around like they own the place. A lot of what they do is really disgusting.

"A neighbour recently put out his rubbish and found human faeces in the gangway. It's not funny when you have to live around this area."

The council's estates officer Gill Saggers has reminded tenants of the action that can be taken against offenders with the right information. She said: "We have told residents that if there is a problem they should keep diaries of the dates, time and nature of any trouble.

"If the problem proves to be serious then we can look into repossession or court action."

The public meeting is due to be organised next month.

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