Police have boarded up a crackhouse where a court heard neighbours were fearful of leaving their homes after encounters with addicts.

Magistrates yesterday ordered a three-month closure of the address in Maidenburgh Street, Colchester, after burnt tin foil, weighing scales, glass pipes and dozens of hypodermic syringes were seized in two raids by officers last month.

No formal complaints had been made to police or housing chiefs about occupant Sally Ann Hadden, a council tenant at the property for 24 years with no convictions for drugs offences.

The 45-year-old grandmother said she had stopped taking heroin and crack cocaine between five and seven years ago, claiming the syringes were in the house as she had been running a needle exchange scheme to help users stay free of disease.

But chairman of the bench Michael Hearn said he was "unconvinced" by the story.

Lynne Shirley, appearing for Hadden, criticised the police for relying on "a lot of assumption and supposition".

Insp Jon Hayter said: "I have been in so many houses like this, so many times I have lost count.

"There is no doubt in my mind that the objects we found were for the use or preparation of Class A drugs."

The house will stay boarded up for three months.

Hadden has been made homeless but the court heard police were trying to arrange emergency accommodation.