Tenants say they are living in fear of an “encampment” of people sleeping rough and taking drugs at their Barking estate.

Police secured a closure notice for Britannia Court in North Street last month in a bid to “shut down” the group – but those living on the estate say junkies keep on coming back.

People have reported finding bloody tissues and needles in the block's stairwell, as well as bedding where people have been squatting.

Mum-of-two Katie Mackenzie told this paper the situation has left her children too scared to even walk down the stairs and that she has finally “had enough”.

Katie has seen bloody tissues and needles in the stairwellKatie has seen bloody tissues and needles in the stairwell (Image: Contributor)

“There’s been an armed raid to do with drug dealers before,” Katie explained.

“There are people who do not live here in the block of flats with needles everywhere.

“There’s been people sleeping in the gas cupboard and smoking in there.

“I looked over my balcony the other day and they’re there taking drugs off the floor in the park where our kids are supposed to play.”

People have been squatting in the estate's gas cupboardPeople have been squatting in the estate's gas cupboard (Image: Contributor)

Katie also claimed that the block’s housing association – Estuary Housing – refused to act until the police became involved.

She said despite officers removing the rough sleepers last month, and the landlord fixing the parking gate, the gas cupboard has been broken into since.

The mum added: “We pay this service charge, and it keeps on getting higher and higher each year, but nothing gets done.

“Cleaning has not been done properly and there’s massive rats by the bins.”

Huge rats have been spotted by the estate's binsHuge rats have been spotted by the estate's bins (Image: Contributor)

She has now called on Estuary Housing to install CCTV cameras on the estate to prevent anti-social behaviour.

“We have all had enough, it’s been going on for too long now,” Katie said. “It’s been a problem ever since I moved here seven years ago. We shouldn’t have to live like this.”

Police say they have been conducting “regular patrols” around Britannia Court in recent weeks, and that the number of offences has decreased since the closure notice was put in place to remove the "encampment".

Estuary Housing said that it had appointed pest control services to deal with rodents, and was considering using ultraviolet lights to “deter intravenous drug use”.  

UV light makes it more difficult for people injecting drugs to find their veins.

A spokesperson for the housing association added: “We understand that residents may feel frustrated, and we want to assure them that we are doing everything we can to resolve these issues.

“We will continue to monitor the situation closely and take appropriate action, whilst also keeping them updated.”