A pioneering initiative which encourages people to shop their law-breaking neighbours has been given the thumbs up.

Residents on the Woodgrange Drive Estate - better known as the Kursaal estate - have welcomed the move by police and the Estuary Housing Association to clean up crime in the area.

A steel-reinforced box with a top slot will be available inside the housing association office where people can post notes revealing who is responsible for drug dealing, car crime, vandalism and any other offences.

Honest residents are delighted with the idea of a secure box to pass on anonymous information to the police.

One 77-year-old pensioner, who asked not to be named, said she hoped the "grass" box would provide more freedom to live in peace.

She said: "The box is a great idea. I want to be able to leave my doors open in the summer. I don't want kids annoying me all the time."

Another 69-year-old woman said: "We can't just go down and tell people what's going on.

"But if you see something going on, you can write it down. Then we'll be at peace too because you know it's going to be seen to."

A 47-year-old father-of-two said: "It's a good idea because people go in and out of the office for all sorts of things so no one would think anything about someone coming in and dropping a note in the box.

"If you think drugs are being dealt at such and such an address, you can write it down and let the police know.

"They can put it under surveillance and then go in and do what they do."

Lilian White, treasurer of the Woodgrange Residents Association, said: "If people feel they want to give their name, then fine. But if they don't, then it can be totally anonymous."

Debo Salako, head of housing services at Estuary Housing Association which manages the estate, said: "This is a pro-active measure and we are pleased and proud to be involved in this pilot."

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