A TOWER block which sees one crime every two days is blighted by drug deals in stairwells and youths breaking Covid rules gathering in crowds.

Beaver Tower, in Mansell Close in Eastwood, has seen yobs smoking and drug dealing on the stairway, forcing Southend Council to install further CCTV as a result.

This comes as a whopping 15 crimes were reported from the tower blocks in January alone, Essex Police revealed.

A call was made to the force, through 999 or 101 from Mansell Close every two days in the first month of the year.

These ranged from anti-social behaviour, vehicle crime, violent crimes or sexual assaults, drug crimes, and public order offences.

Paul Collins, Southend Lib Dem councillor for Eastwood Park ward, has been working closely with residents to ensure additional security measures are in place.

He said: “This has been happening throughout lockdown, and the pandemic itself. There’s been groups of eight and nine all on the stairways.

“They’re getting behind people as they walk through the door. The doors are known for being slow to close. This has been an issue for some time in there. Residents are really concerned, most of them are council tenants.”

Essex Police released the force’s figures for crime from January this year, with Southend Hospital also being a hotspot for crime.

The hospital saw 15 crimes reported in January.

These varied from anti-social behaviour, theft, public orders, vehicle crime, and violence or sexual offences.

The latest figures also revealed how almost two thirds of reported crimes in Southend in January were made up of anti-social behaviour and violent or sexual offences.

A massive 2002 crimes were reported in Southend in that time, 692 of which were anti-social behaviour, while 642 were violent or sexual offences.

Martin Terry, councillor in charge of community safety, added: “We’re seeing a concentration of activity around tower blocks.

“We have got excessive CCTV in place, and I can assure people it’s being sent directly to those who need to see it. Action will be taken.

“It only takes one apartment with one problem resident inside to start it all off.

“It looks like there’s some sort of substance abuse going on, whether that’s drugs or alcohol. It’s difficult to nip it in the bud.”

Four CCTV cameras have been installed at Beaver Tower, where more than 100 people live.

A Southend Council spokesman said: “In late January, we were made aware of issues with anti social behaviour at Beaver Tower and have been working with Essex Police and the council’s street engagement team to provide a multi-agency response to address these concerns.

“As a result of this joint approach, and acting upon information from residents, we are pleased to report we have since seen a reduction in reports of anti-social behaviour.”

Essex Police was contacted for comment.