A GRANDMOTHER says she is “shocked” by the increase of antisocial behaviour in Halstead.

Tracy Lloyd, 49, moved to Tidings Hill a year ago and was “overwhelmed by the great community spirit”, but now she says there has been a big increase with problems in the town.

Ms Lloyd says the public gardens have become a magnet for people blatantly drinking booze and taking drugs in broad daylight.

She said: “I wanted to take my grandchildren and my daughters and show them the lovely gardens and that was when I first became aware of young teenagers all gathered drinking alcohol and smoking weed in the shelters.

“I understand teenagers get blamed for loads of trouble and are bored.

“I was a teenager once, but the open drug taking is shocking. There is no hiding the fact that they are smoking drugs.”

Since then Ms Lloyd said she has had two more encounters of people drinking and taking drugs in the gardens during the afternoon.

“I was walking through the park with my partner and in the same shelter two middle-aged men took out a packet of white powder place it on the bench and took it in turns to sniff it,” she said.

“This was at about 6.45pm on a sunny Friday.

“Then today I was out walking and decided to do some laps of the park as its kept so beautifully.

“Again as I entered the park I noticed at least four men in the same shelter drinking cans of alcohol.

“I was walking towards them using the path but at the last minute I changed my mind as they were quite loud and I felt uncomfortable.

“As a woman on my own this is not acceptable.

“I’m not a weak women by any means but I thought if that was my daughter or older mum I would not like them having the same feeling. This is not right and shouldn’t be allowed to have no go areas especially in a small town.”

Essex Police said they are aware of the problem and officers have been patrolling the public gardens and other areas known for antisocial behaviour.