'Disgusting' estate where prostitutes have sex in stairwells and locals won't go out alone

Neighbours from an estate say they are afraid to leave their homes because of prostitutes and drug dealers using their stairwells.

Locals from College Gardens in Edmonton, north London, have even started to blow whistles to alert others when they feel in danger as they pluck up the courage to get in and out of their own building.

Gillian, who only gave her first name, told MyLondon she poured bleach on the stairs so druggies, prostitutes and dealers couldn't settle there at night.

She said the dossers have now started targeting her because they know she is trying to get them out. The College Gardens resident added: "A few weeks ago there was a man running down the road with a hammer trying to hit me. It feels disgusting."

Gillian said a friend refuses to visit her after finding two men having sex in a stairwell at two o'clock in the afternoon.

Trouble with louts breaking in began a couple of years ago, but things were unbearable over the Christmas period, MyLondon reports.

Residents tried to bolt a door leading to a rubbish chute room used by prostitutes, but it was smashed in within days. A lift door is also so damaged it's stopped working, leaving the interior open to sex workers.

Ivaylo Atansov, 24, lives with his wife, two-year-old daughter and son, aged one, in College Gardens. He said: "We're scared to confront them. There's not much we can do about it."

Mr Atansov said he often steps over drug users to get up the stairs when returning home from work at night.

Tony Mcerlean said he regularly sees up to 20 people on the stairs, adding: "Prostitutes roam the area along the high street from about 5pm in the evening.

"When they have a punter they'll take them around the corner into the block. They look incredibly young, which makes you fear they've been trafficked."

Mr Mcerlean said many residents won't leave their homes after 6pm and urged the police to do their job.

A spokesperson for Enfield Council said no one should feel intimidated inside their home. They said a "comprehensive" audit of the estate has been carried out by the police to identify particular hotspots.

The spokesperson added: "This information will be crucial for implementing effective measures to deter criminal activities and to reassure residents."

Enfield Council told MyLondon a Community Partnership Team and Safer Neighbourhoods Team have paired up, leading to increased policing around the estate.

The spokesperson said: "It is of huge assistance when ASB [anti-social behaviour] issues are reported in a timely manner to the council and police, so we can deal with them quickly."

Enfield Council pledged to investigate claims of ASB and consider applications for rehousing. It insisted maintenance and repairs issues are being dealt with and security measures are being considered.

The spokesperson said: "We appreciate residents’ patience in this matter."