Inside squalid estate where residents are so scared they keep knives by the door
Residents of a council estate in Wales have spoken out about their squalid living conditions, accusing the council and police of neglect.
People living on the Heol Gwyrosydd estate in Penlan, Swansea, are afraid to go out due to drug dealing and aggressive young people in the neighbourhood.
Issues residents face on the estate include a landing strewn with animal faeces and a building that does not have a front door.
Tenants say the council has allowed the blocks to deteriorate into damp-ridden disrepair, Wales Online reports.
Shauna Underhill, 29, who has lived in one of the buildings for six years, says residents are treated "like third-class citizens".
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Heol Gwyrosydd resident Shauna Underhill (John Myers)She explained: "Every time I open the door I am scared. Crack is a big issue. Within a mile-and-a-half radius there are three dealers, maybe four. A lot of robbing goes on."
The woman, who lives in a two-bedroom flat with her dad and eight-year-old daughter, has mould on the walls of her kitchen and one of the bedrooms, while the ceiling in the corridor was peeling from damp.
Ms Underhill said: "Two or three years ago my father phoned the council about the damp. They came last week.
"We had almost forgotten we'd called. When the guy came, I told him it could be happening because the bottom of the drainpipe outside is cracked."
David Underhill has lived on the estate for nine years (John Myers)She said she was left frustrated by the response of the council, claiming they have not fixed the issues promptly.
The resident said the estate would need a warden to look after it as there are too many issues.
A spokesperson for Swansea council said it has invested £550million into its 13,600 council homes over the last 20 years including improvements at Heol Gwyrosydd. He added the housing service has "a daily presence in this area".
A 'sealy bag' in one of the blocks at Heol Gwyrosydd (John Myers)However, Wales Online found that three of the Heol Gwyrosydd buildings had chipboard covering broken glass panels at their entrances.
In another, freezing air came in through the space where the doorway should have been and on an upper floor in one block, a window was off its hinges.
Pointing to a pool of water on the landing near her door, a woman said it had collected because of rain coming through a window that did not work properly.
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A man said he had hidden a knife above his door because of the threatening behaviour and vandalism on the estate.
Other residents said their children were "terrified" by teenagers who enter the buildings late at night and kick their doors.
On the estate, an empty "sealy bag" typically used in drug deals was found discarded on the floor.
Piles of rubbish on the estate (John Myers)According to Ms Underhill, tenants are often offered drugs by young people aged 18 to 21 smoking crack cocaine and cannabis on the estate.
She said that three years ago, a man stole a gold chain from her neck which was important to her as it was a gift her mother had given her.
There is also rubbish on the grass outside, as well as piles of discared items inside the blocks.
Tenants are told to leave rubbish outside their block but it can build up on the landings and the council does not remove it, Ms Underhill added.
Residents have spoken of their pool living conditions (John Myers)She said: "That rubbish has been here for weeks. One of the downstairs tenants is always cleaning the communal area.
"If it wasn't for him the place would be stinking. I can never get hold of the council. I get put on hold or I get told to ring back."
She added: "I don't think the council should house people in these flats if they've got kids.
"Just before Christmas some teenagers broke the panel at the entrance. They were going round booting people's doors at 10pm. My daughter was terrified.
"Her friends would sometimes knock for her to play with them, but she'd only go out if I went out as well and watched her."
Damp in the Underhills' Heol Gwyrosydd flat (John Myers)Ms Underhill's dad David, who has lived in the flat for nine years, has a condition called spinal stenosis and sometimes needs a wheelchair to get around but the hall is very narrow.
He said the council has offered him alternative accommodation on several occasions but all of the options had stairs.
A 25-year-old mum who has a one-year-old daughter and a nine-year-old child said she wants to move as she is scared of going out.
She explained: "The mess is normal for here. I do my best to sweep up but I haven't seen the council come here to clean once in five years. We have looked into privately renting but it's really expensive right now."
Stains on the communal landing of a building (John Myers)A spokesperson for the council said: "During the last 20 years Swansea Council has invested £550million into its housing stock to improve the standard and quality of the 13,600 council homes in our city which have included the blocks at Heol Gwyrosydd.
"This has included new kitchens, bathrooms and environmental improvements around tenants’ homes as well as improved insulation.
"Our housing service has a daily presence in this area which includes staff from the local area housing office, estate caretaking team and neighbourhood support unit.
"They currently provide daily checks in the Penlan area which include checks to communal areas, green spaces, lanes, and walkways/footpaths, and will also respond to reports made to us regarding flytipping, offensive graffiti or damage on housing land.
"There are CCTV cameras in the area and any concerns detected are acted on with support from the police where needed. Our repair records indicate that repairs reported by [the Underhills] were responded to. However, we will arrange for an inspection to be carried out at their property to establish if any further action is needed."
One resident said he had hidden a knife above a door to protect himself because he was so concerned by crime in the neighbourhood (John Myers)Simon Trick, local policing inspector for Gorseinon and Penlan, said: "We are aware of concerns about crime and anti-social behaviour in Heol Gwyrosydd, Penlan.
"Such unacceptable behaviour can prove intimidating and unpleasant for residents. Robustly tackling these issues remain a priority for local officers and there are regular patrols in the area.
"As always, we would be very keen to hear from residents who can provide information on those responsible for crime and anti-social behaviour.
"We continue to work with Swansea Council to find longer-term solutions to tackle anti-social behaviour and criminal activity."
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