TERRIFIED residents have demanded improved safety at Southend’s crime-ridden towerblocks – before someone else is killed.

Residents want CCTV installed inside Malvern, Pennine, Chiltern and Quantock flats to help end their continuing nightmare.

The high rises have been being plagued for years by stabbings, drug dealing, arson, dog fighting and antisocial behaviour.

There have also been issues with a Somali drug dealing gang which takes over the flats of vulnerable people and transform them into crack houses.

However, elderly people and families with young children are still being housed in these blocks.

Some residents have had enough and spoke out after what they claim is the final straw – the death of Christopher Ryan, 45, who was fatally wounded at his flat in Malvern, Coleman Street, last Thursday.

Karen Sargent, 39, who lives in Malvern, is calling for cameras to be installed immediately in all the blocks’ communal areas.

She said: “I’m sick and tired of this. We were told we couldn’t have cameras in the lifts because of privacy laws. But these would make a big difference.”

Janine Armitage, 30, who also lives in Malvern, said: “It’s so important something gets done because of the amount of drugs that get done in the stairwells. There are even druggies in the lifts. They could put cameras in there.

“There also needs to be somebody actually guarding the blocks. I’ve got friends in London tower blocks and they said they’ve got security patrols.”

Neighbour Michael John Smith, 63, said the cameras would also pick up on people who dump furniture and other rubbish in the lifts, as well as yobs’ antisocial behaviour.

A resident in Quantock, 65, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals, said: “The council need to do something. Cameras would help. The police always come in uniform and everybody scatters, but as soon as they’ve gone, they all come alive again like little maggots.”

She said she reported a man appeared to be starting up a cannabis factory in the block last month, but nothing has been done.

John Nafzger, 39, of Westbury Road, Southend, and Christopher Walker, 23, of Manstead Gardens, Rochford, were charged with Mr Ryan’s murder and with robbing him of cannabis.

The pair had a brief appearance at Chelmsford Crown Court yesterday, where they were remanded in custody.

They are yet to enter their pleas.

A Pennine resident, who didn’t want to be named, said: “I get people who are doing drugs banging on my door.

“It’s pretty scary when they are doing that late at night and you’re alone in your flat.

“I think cameras is a must.”

Last week, the Echo reported police obtained court order to close two crack houses being run by Somalian drug gangs. A vulnerable man living in one of the flats had to be rehomed after having his home taken over by dealers. Police put up steel barriers to prevent anyone using the flats.