GAZETTE & HERALD: Residents of the troubled Chippenham Redlands estate say they have endured five summer nights of hell with noise, fights and drug trouble caused by gangs of youths and they are calling for immediate action.

People living in the area around the shops have signed a petition calling for action to tackle anti social behaviour they say is blighting their lives.

Resident Karen Stevens, who lives in a Westlea flat above the shops, was so incensed by the behaviour of young hooligans outside her home, she headed for Chippenham police station on Monday and did not leave the premises until someone had listened to what she had to say.

"The last five nights have been hell," she said.

"There are crowds of teenagers outside the shops. They are drunk and taking drugs. The noise is terrible and they are shouting and swearing and playing on shop trolleys.

"It has been as late as 2am before they go away and on Saturday night I called the police three times before someone came out."

Ms Stevens, 35, has lived in the flat for about two years and she has collected about 50 signatures from residents who are suffering as a result of the groups of young people loitering outside the shops.

The problems are not restricted to the evenings with the summer holidays on going, the teenagers are gathering from lunchtime onward and Ms Stevens said many people felt too intimidated to visit the shops including her own children, aged 11 and eight, and some of her elderly neighbours.

"You get 50 or 60 young teenagers gathering there. The litter problem they create is terrible kicking rubbish bags, breaking glass and dropping wrappers.

"A man from the district council came out, Bill Jennings, and he did a fantastic job clearing it all up but within a few hours it looked as bad as ever," she said.

"My neighbour is in a terrible state because of the noise. She hasn't slept for the last five days."

She said youngsters had thrown fruit and eggs at windows, urinated in the stairs at the bottom of the flats and even thrown bags of dog excrement from a nearby bin into gardens.

Ms Stevens did not have to wait long at the police station Sergeant Mark Gayle spent more than an hour discussing the situation with her and reassuring her the police were doing what they could to help.

The police are currently working with Westlea Housing Association and North Wiltshire District Council in a bid to sort out the problems besetting the estate.

Inspector Neil Bagnoll said: "We are continuing to work with other groups to provide lasting solutions to the problems, which have been going on for some years."

North Wiltshire District Councillor and ward representative Nina Phillips set up and chaired a multi-agency meeting on June 24 in a bid to come up with solutions to problems of vandalism, anti social behaviour and litter.

Representatives from local authorities, Westlea Housing Association and the police, along with the district council's anti social behaviour officer Peter Hill, met to discuss improving life for the residents and came up with some proposals.

But Ms Stevens said the meetings had not been open to residents and complained that consequently they had been left in the dark about plans to tackle Redland's problems.

Coun Nina Phillips said Ms Stevens had been invited to attend the next multi agency meeting to discuss the problems and solutions for the estate, on September 13.

"We have organised the meetings to try and find out what is possible," said Coun Phillips.

"Then we will be forming a Redlands Action Group for the residents."