Pubdate: Tue, 26 Sep 2006
Source: Midweek News (UK)
Copyright: 2006, Trinity Mirror Plc.
Contact:  http://icberkshire.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0400bracknell/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2839

BRAVE MUM WINS FIGHT TO KICK OUT DRUG GANGS

A MOTHER has told how she drove away crack cocaine  dealers who 
threatened to destroy her neighbourhood.

Claire Walsh and other neighbours stood firm in their  resolve 
despite receiving threats and intimidation.

This week the 43-year-old was honoured with a national  accolade 
marking her incredible stand.

Mrs Walsh helped galvanise law-abiding neighbours in  Foxglove 
Gardens, Reading into a force to be reckoned  with.

They built up a catalogue of anti-social behaviour  which was later 
used by housing bosses to evict the  nightmare tenants.

And now she has received one of just 370 local hero  awards made 
under the Government's Respect scheme  across England and Wales.

It was in 2000 that dealers began making life hell for  residents of 
29-house Foxglove Gardens, off Oxford  Road.

The single mum said: "Everybody realised we had a  common enemy. At 
one point there were five crack houses  and it was pretty awful 
living under those conditions.

"You were woken at night by constant arguments and  people coming and 
going at all hours. We even had armed  police on the estate on one occasion."

In April 2001, as a result of the detailed dossiers  compiled by the 
neighbours, Sanctuary Housing  Association (SHA) secured eviction 
orders for three of  the crack dens.

But Mrs Walsh, who has an 18-year-old daughter Rhiannon  and a son, 
Alex, aged 16, recalled: "When the dealers  were evicted they just 
picked up their stuff and walked  straight past the neighbours and 
into the other two  houses.There was nothing we could do."

Mrs Walsh added: "I wasn't threatened personally, but a  lot of 
people in the area were."

Two months later SHA bosses secured a second eviction  order and the 
crack house operators were on the run.

That created a situation where police have been able to  stay on top 
of the situation and snuff out attempts by  Jamaican Yardie gangsters 
to set themselves up in the  area.

Neighbours say the area is now far safer than it was  six years ago 
when they decided enough was enough.
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MAP posted-by: Elaine