VILLAGERS are vowing to clean up their community, which they say is being ruined by drug abuse and other anti-social behaviour.

Homeowners in South Moor, near Stanley, County Durham, yesterday spoke out about the problems of drugs, arson, violence and vandalism which they say is making their lives a misery.

North Durham MP Kevan Jones went on a short tour of the area's worst-hit spots yesterday, to discover at first hand the extent of the problems.

He was shown burnt-out houses and abandoned homes that had been left to the rats.

In John Street, he was approached by a young girl who had written a letter for him, in which she dubbed the area "Hell Street".

Another John Street resident, who did not want to give her name, told how a family party last week had ended in a trip to hospital after she was attacked.

She said: "We were having a karaoke session with the bairns when we heard this commotion outside.

"There was about 12 lads in our yard and one had picked up a shovel.

"I went to take it off him and he headbutted me in the face."

The youth was arrested but has since been back, making threats to kill the woman.

Her husband said: "He threatened to cut her open and slice her ears off."

Residents also said that they wanted property landlords to take more care over who they allowed to move into the rented properties which they own in the area.

The MP's tour guides yesterday were the county council ward member David Marshall, and Ronnie Walker, a member of South Moor Neighbourhood Watch.

Mr Walker, who has lived in South Moor for 27 years, said residents felt that not enough people cared about the community.

He said: "We feel we have been neglected.

"What we have got to do first is get the community to care about where we live, then we can start to tackle the problems."