A HOUSE described as a den of anti-social behaviour has been closed down for three months.

Police took the drastic action against the property in Elgar Avenue, Malvern, this evening, after complaints from neighbours that the “doss house” had made their lives “an unbearable nightmare”.

A 46-year-old female tenant was evicted and metal security doors and windows were installed.

Groups of teenagers regularly used the site for late-night partying, drunken antics and aggressive behaviour, as well as allegedly taking drugs.

One neighbour told your Worcester News: “It has been an absolute nightmare.

“The house was like a cross between a youth centre, a drugs den and a dirty squalor.

“We often feared for our safety and the teenagers were very intimidating towards us.

“There were so many different faces, with comings and goings 24/7, so it has not been a nice place to live at all.”

The mother-of-three reeled off a long list of unpleasant incidents her family had experienced, including damage to their cars, a garage break-in, fences being set alight, fights, dog mess being thrown into their garden and loud music blasting out at 3am.

A lack of sleep caused by the late-night noise was even affecting one of her son’s education.

However she expressed her relief that the police had carried out the operation on the house, which was strewn with hundreds of cigarette butts and empty beer cans.

“It is like a massive weight has been lifted off our shoulders”, she said.

“We are still walking on egg shells and lots of people didn’t want to voice their concerns for fear of reprisals.”

Her husband added: “It gets to the point when you don’t care about speaking out.

“You can only put up with so much.

“But hopefully, now we have had the courage, more people will come forward and speak out about other cases and have a better quality of life.”

Police were able to carry out the operation using new powers under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

They issued notice to the Fortis Living tenant on Thursday evening and, after receiving a formal closure order form Worcester Magistrates’ Court, were able to conclude the initiative this evening.

PC Paul Lambon said: “We have achieved our objective today and we hope some of the young people involved have learnt their lesson.

“The property had become a den of anti-social behaviour and a meeting place for up to 15 disaffected youths.

“It was a house without rules where they could come and go as they pleased.

“Many residents have told us they felt fearful and intimidated and the neighbours have been terrified.

“It is unfortunate that a lady has been made temporarily homeless by this closure order and we don’t so something like this lightly.

“But immediate action was needed to protect the local community and to reduce the risk of harm to residents.”