NEIGHBOURS who have put up with yobs taking drugs and causing trouble for years, have thanked the council for sorting out the problem.

People in Rayside, Basildon, have been campaigning for years to have 36 empty garages demolished and railings put up blocking off access to an alleyway.

Their calls came after yobs repeatedly targeted the garages, vandalising them and using them to take drugs and booze and cause a general nuisance.

Now the railings have finally been put in and the garages are due to be demolished.

Eric O’Brien, 73, who lives in Rayside and who led calls for the anti-yob measures to be taken, said he is relieved the railings have been put in.

He said: “A lot of the garages have been boarded up and the railings have finally been put in.

“For the last couple of weeks, since the railings have gone in, I haven’t seen one of the yobs around here.

“There’s been little antisocial behaviour in the last fortnight. It’s been reduced to a minimum.

“It’s so quiet, it’s lovely, just like heaven.”

In once incident last year, dealers broke into the garages twice within 90 minutes to sell drugs to punters.

There were also fears the alleyway was not only used as a cut-through to the garages by yobs, but also provided a quick getaway for burglars and other villains fleeing the scene of their crimes.

Phil Rackley, Labour councillor for St Martin’s ward, said: “I’m very pleased, Eric has done a magnificent job.

“The whole garage and alley area was such a problem and it’s common sense to close it off with railings.”

Frank Tomlin, councillor for housing and community safety, said: “A petition was sent to the council by residents of Rayside and Church Road requesting the alleyway to be closed on the grounds it was contributing to antisocial behaviour.

“Following consultation with residents, police, the fire service and Essex County Council, Basildon Council installed a gate to the alleyway to assist in the prevention of antisocial behaviour in the area.

“The garages are under consideration for redevelopment, and the council is working with partners to assess the feasibility of doing so. We are always interested in receiving information about this sort of problem.”