£17,000 revamp for Coventry estate plagued by yobs

[dutchman]

A housing estate in Coventry blighted by anti-social behaviour has been refurbished with a new Olympic flower garden and community centre.



Last year Boyd Close in Walsgrave, Coventry, became the target of a police crackdown on yobs carrying out a terrifying campaign of violence and intimidation against elderly residents.

The Telegraph’s ‘Dob on a Yob’ campaign won the backing of councillors and city MP Bob Ainsworth.

Now housing association Guinness Northern Counties has demolished a play area which became the nightly meeting place for yobs.

It has replaced it with a grass area and flower beds which form five Olympic rings.

Coun Ed Ruane (Lab, Henley) said: “I’d really like to thank the Telegraph for bringing this issue to the fore by reporting on the problems of anti-social behaviour over a year ago,

“When it became highlighted agencies dealing with Boyd Close picked up the pace in dealing with it.

“There’s more of a buzz about the place now.”

Thugs on the estate had made residents’ lives hell with arson attacks, smashed windows, street brawls, threats and drug abuse a nightly occurrence.

Residents frightened to enter or leave their homes even complained of youths urinating and having sex in doorways.

Guinness Northern Counties was criticised for abandoning the estate to the yobs but has now pumped in £17,500 to regenerate the area.