SOMERFORD residents attended a public meeting at the weekend, organised to address concerns about antisocial behaviour in parts of the Christchurch district.

Town MP Sir Christopher Chope and Christchurch Borough Council leader David Flagg were among the politicians that attended.

Representatives from Christchurch's neighbourhood policing team also joined the panel, to answer questions put by some of the 30 residents who turned up on Saturday morning.

Mr Chope said: "I have had a lot of complaints from constituents saying there are drug users running amok, that there is a lot of low level crime, antisocial behaviour, and a lack of will on the part of the housing association to enforce their covenants.

"We also know about the problems, which we've read about in the press, about the vandalism affecting the bus service."

The community meeting, hosted by Christchurch councillors David Jones, Denise Jones and Janet Abbott, follows incidents involving Yellow Buses being damaged as they drove through Somerford and Purewell.

During the meeting, held at Somerford ARC, Southey Road, the problem of antisocial behaviour in the area was discussed.

One resident said: "We know exactly who they are, the problem is a lot of people around our area will not report it because they are scared of reprisals.

"A lot of people won't say anything, because the people who are doing it live in the same area.

"I know kids will be kids, but these are not kids. Some of them are 18, 19, 20-year-olds.

"They are young adults and should know better."

Another resident said she had collated information about antisocial behaviour and passed it to Sovereign Housing Association, which manages many homes locally.

However, the resident revealed she had not heard anything back from the association.

Cllr David Jones said he had extended an invitation for representatives of the housing association to attend Saturday's meeting, but "the silence from Sovereign was absolutely deafening." The councillor also confirmed he'd invited Yellow Buses.

No-one from the bus company attended.

PCSO Carl Stark, one of the neighbourhood policing team, said the number of calls relating to antisocial behaviour in the Grange and Somerford areas was on a par with the rest of Christchurch.

He added: "Mr Chope referred to drug users, but there is no point just telling your neighbour or putting it on Twitter or Facebook - you need to report it to the police.

The officer also confirmed just two calls had been taken by police, relating to drug dealing and antisocial behaviour in the area, over the past fortnight

PCSO Stark stressed: "The message we are trying to put out is that if there are things happening, you need to report it."