Residents complain about drug dealing and criminal damage in Swindon suburb

People packed into the area's community centre to voice their views on a spate of antisocial behaviour and ask a panel of police and council figures chaired by Coun Will Stone what they would be doing to stop it.

Youngsters on illegal electric scooters zipping along to Nova Hreod Academy, motorcyclists churning up football pitches, and teenagers banging on people's front doors are proving to be a nuisance.

One neighbour mentioned a broken street light left the alley next to her home in complete darkness.

She added: "Children throw things at my house but my CCTV doesn't get a clear image because the light's been out for months.

"There's garages where all the drugs go, and because it's pitch black, my neighbours are scared to go outside. One has left her Christmas lights up just so she can see the alleyway, it's ridiculous."

A meeting with parish council and police representatives sought solutions to antisocial behaviour in Moredon

People blamed boredom and a lack of youth facilities for the high amount of bad behaviour.

One woman said: "You need to do something about these kids because they're unruly, the language that comes out of their mouths is disgusting, and you get hurled with abuse.

"The play park is trashed all the time - the swings were covered in dog poo the other day, for some reason."

One man said: "It attracts undesirable teenagers, that's the problem. All you come across is broken bottles and syringes."

One dogwalker's puppy picked up a bottle of Diazepam near the playing field. Improving play areas will be a priority for the parish council once the Moredon Sports Hub is finished.

A Neighbourhood Watch scheme similar to one in Rodbourne Cheney is being considered, though some worried "people are too frightened" of being targeted.

One woman said: "There were youth clubs when we were younger which kept us out of trouble but now they're left to their own devices because the parents don't care, they've got nothing to do so they turn to drugs and antisocial behaviour because it's fun."

Youth worker Aaron Webb pointed out that he arranges lessons and activities in the area, is open to suggestions and is trying to expand what's on offer.

A meeting with parish council and police representatives sought solutions to antisocial behaviour in Moredon

A police inspector stressed the importance of community intelligence so the force can target criminal activity and make the best use of their limited resources, including one PCSO and nine (10 in April) police officers in the area.

She said: "In an ideal world, we would love to be able to deal with everything and tackle all the issues but we have to prioritise. You're the eyes and ears. We did more than 30 drugs warrants in the area last year."

Coun Jim Grant added: "If you see anything that looks suspicious, report it to the police and they will take it as intelligence which can be used to target what's going on.

"Maybe a suspicious kid is associated with County Lines or something, it's worth taking the time to report it. You might not get a response but it will be logged."

The parish council pledged to look into issues with parking near schools during the week and at Pembroke Gardens during Sunday football matches.

Narrow streets and blind bends are clogged with cars, near-misses often happen when children run into the road, and neighbours cannot park outside their own homes.

The police were urged to do more to punish drivers doing dangerous drop-offs, though few traffic wardens are available. Double yellow lines may be added near Bates Way and the entrance to Moredon Medical Centre to improve visibility.

One person said: "There's lots of kids on bikes on the pavement, and one of them's going to get knocked off and killed, that's what it'll take to get something done."