Anti-social behaviour in and around the Garrison Estate in Purfleet has been on the increase.

Staff at Thurrock Council's Purfleet Area Office had noticed the increase both because they are based in the estate and an increasing number of complaints.

The council's Anti-Social Behaviour Team decided to do something about the situation and has so far targeted the estate on two separate occasions armed with CCTV footage of perpetrators.

Last week a team of eight - including ASB and Housing Officers and Essex Police - walked the estate, stopped and spoke to a variety of people including those suspected of causing problems. In addition house-to-house enquiries were carried out and people asked if they knew who was pictured.

Andrew Meyer, the ASB Team Manager, said: "The result was tremendous and from the operation we have identified twenty individuals and five households that are a particular problem. The people we spoke to were more than happy to help and seemed pleased that something proactive was happening"

All those identified will be informed that they are under investigation for a variety of incidents ranging from adults and youths gathering and causing a disturbance, up to criminal damage.

Andrew Meyer went on to say "The options open to us now are many and all will be considered, from criminal charges, ASBO's and Parenting Orders to eviction. People do not want to live in an area taken over by those intent on causing problems and we will see to it that those identified are dealt with quickly."

Cllr Sue MacPherson, Cabinet member for Housing, said: "This action is just another example of our proactive approach to clean up neighbourhoods. We are looking at a wide variety of actions and innovative ideas too. In one case where a young person was identified grafitting on a wall; his parents were spoken to and a referral made to Youth Inclusion Support Panel for help.

The young person is also going to clean the wall he decided to tag."

And Mr Meyer added that when the team walked the estate they also issued two notices for residents to clean up their gardens and gave three other households directions to remove rubbish they had dumped on communal land and to get rid of vehicles in a poor state of repair parked on and around the councils property.

He said: "The day proved such a big hit that we're looking at having similar hits elsewhere."