A family has created a diary of despair to show how drug dealers, addicts and gangs of children are making their life a misery.

Norwich Evening News: Eglington Mews in Norwich. Photo: GoogleEglington Mews in Norwich. Photo: Google (Image: Archant)

The tenants, who wished to remain anonymous, said they no longer felt safe in their property on Eglington Mews, near Waterloo Park in Norwich.

Their complaints range from drug dealers setting up a base in nearby flats, addicts ringing their buzzer to gain entry at all hours, and children running amok late at night.

Despite raising the issues to their housing provider, Orwell Housing, they claimed little had been done to address the issues.

A family member, who did not wish to be named for fear of reprisal, said: 'I've never lived anywhere like this in my whole life. It's a nightmare.

'A few months ago they moved someone into a building here and it looked as though it was being used for cuckooing. I'd get drug addicts ringing my flat at all hours trying to get let into the building because the person they wanted wasn't around.

'You start to feel that your property isn't safe.'

The family said gangs of children as young as 10 were regularly allowed to run around late at night.

In one diary entry, dated October 16, they said: 'Shouting and screaming turned into large-scale brawl on the street that culminated in dog running around with a savaged cat in its mouth.'

Another entry from September 16 said: 'Kids as young as 10 playing and making disturbance on the street until 1am.'

The family member said he had spoken to Orwell Housing about the problems, but said the company told him it would need specific names before action could be taken.

'The problem is that I can't simply narrow it down to one particular person,' he said.

A spokesman for Orwell Housing said they were aware of issues in the area involving children. But not all of them were living in properties owned by Orwell Housing.

The spokesman said they were trying to identify the children involved and were working with the police to try and resolve matters.

A police spokesman said it had received calls about some of the problems in the area, and that officers were increasing patrols.

'If we could move out of here, we would,' the family said. 'It is breaking us down.'