A THREE-month closure order has been served on a flat in Newport which has been a magnet for drug abuse and anti-social behaviour.

Gwent Police applied for the order yesterday, after serving a notice on July 1, for 328 Kirby Lane, in Pill, and Deputy District Judge Andrew Jones granted it, to ease a "nightmare" situation for neighbouring residents.

A police report on the property, a ground floor flat, stated that the tenant - a Ms Cheryl Glover - had consistently allowed people, including known drug dealers, to stay there illegally, and drug use went on there.

It stated that neighbours' gardens and doorways were damaged and urinated in, and fighting, shouting and unruly behaviour continued, often through the night.

District Judge Jones, sitting at Newport magistrates' court, was told that neighbouring residents included elderly people and young families who were in a difficult situation, and many felt intimidated.

He said the report "gives the impression that this is a nightmare situation for other residents."

The flat is the property of Newport City Homes, which supported the closure notice application along with Newport council.

The closure order, issued under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, began at 3pm yesterday, and the flat was vacated prior to its being boarded up and secured by police.

After the order was issued PC Paula Spence, crime and disorder reduction officer for Gwent Police, said that nine properties had been closed down across Newport since Christmas.

“We will continue to close properties down that cause a disturbance to residents,” she said.

“A lot of people own these homes and they can’t move away from these problems and they shouldn’t have to live in misery.”

She added: “What they have had to put up with here has been quite horrific, including fighting in the streets with bare-chested men at 5am.

“It’s frightening for the elderly and those with young families.

“All these things that people have had to put up with over the last four months, they have either suffered in silence or had the courage to ring the police."

Mattias Thomas, tenancy management officer at Newport City Homes, said: "We now need to work with the tenant to discuss the future of the tenancy."