RESIDENTS of an historic square say it is being ruined by drunks and vandals.

People living in Warrior Square in St Leonards, Hastings, say the problem is dragging the once sought-after neighbourhood into the gutter.

Now the area's tenants' association is calling for action.

It says drunks constantly use the area to meet and that a war memorial and statue of Queen Victoria are suffering repeated vandalism.

Resident Irene Phelps, 78, said: "We pay top rates for these properties and then we have to put up with all this.

"We've written to the council and asked the police to do something but no one seems interested in taking up our plight.

"I love Hastings but I'm beginning to wish I had never moved here."

Much of Warrior Square is made up of large Victorian buildings dating back to 1841.

Many have since been turned into flats.

Local councillor John Humphries said he was aware of the problems but said they were not isolated to Warrior Square or Hastings.

He said he was confident that recently-installed CCTV cameras would help deal with troublemakers and that new lighting would also have a positive effect.

PC Mike Scantlebury, beat officer for the Warrior Square area, said: "We are all working together to deal with any problems that do arise."

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