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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Kate Lally

'Lovely' town being 'destroyed' by gangs, drugs and violence

A once "lovely" seaside town is being "destroyed" according to a woman who lives there.

Drugs have been seized, teenagers arrested, and a man was stabbed, in Southport in recent weeks.

One woman told the ECHO : "I do not know what has happened to our town.

READ MORE: Major Merseyside road to be closed for 'around' a month

"Every day it's something else. It's staggering. I don't feel safe going out.

"Southport used to be lovely but it's steadily being destroyed."

Police officers say they are continuing to crack down on crime, and have stepped up patrols in the town centre and the area near the seafront.

For the past two weekends, extra powers have been used to disperse any groups of young people.

As a result, they say a "significant number" of arrests have been made.

Two 14-year-olds were arrested after other children had their bikes "forcibly" snatched in Southport town centre.

The two boys, one from Bootle and one from Liverpool, were hauled in by police on Eastbank Street on Sunday.

They remain in custody, and police say three bikes have been returned to their victims.

On September 2 and 3, two teenagers were arrested on suspicion of robbery in Marine Park, after a 13-year-old boy had his bag snatched on Sunday, August 30.

A 16-year-old boy from Southport also remains under investigation following an incident on August 27, in which a 16-year-old boy was assaulted on Scarisbrick Avenue.

Three teenagers, aged between 14 and 16, also remain under investigation following a stabbing in West Street on August 23, in which a man in his 20s was left injured.

This week, huge amounts of drugs have been seized in Southport.

A 39-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, while a 43-year-old man was arrested after 120 wraps of heroin and crack cocaine were found.

Community Policing Inspector Graham Fisher told the ECHO : "Our town centre and seafront should be safe spaces for everyone to visit, not for threats and anti-social behaviour like we have been seeing in recent weeks.

"I'd also ask the parents of guardians of our young people know where they are and ensure they are not involved in a such incidents.

"When appropriate, we will speak with parents and guardians if we suspect that young people in their care are involved, but we need to work together to prevent such incidents happening."

Anyone with any information is urged to call police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Always call 999 if a crime is in progress.

Alternatively, information can be given via @MerPolCC on Twitter or 'Merseyside Police Contact Centre' on Facebook.

Anyone with images, dashcam, CCTV or doorbell footage is being urged to share it with police.

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