COUNCIL officers are patrolling housing estates in a bid to stamp out antisocial behaviour. Tower Hamlets Enforcement officers have been working with Tower Hamlets Homes staff to carry out patrols in blocks of flats as part of the council s new Operation

COUNCIL officers are patrolling housing estates in a bid to stamp out antisocial behaviour.

Tower Hamlets Enforcement officers have been working with Tower Hamlets Homes staff to carry out patrols in blocks of flats as part of the council's new Operation Stairwell.

The THEOs concentrated on anti-social behaviour hotspots including Hainton Close in Shadwell, Stayners Road in Stepney, Spring Walk in Whitechapel and Dowler House in Shadwell and say they stopped 44 troublemakers and that their activities also led to two arrests for drug offences.

Using their powers they asked for their names and addresses and details of persistent offenders were passed onto Tower Hamlets Homes' antisocial behaviour prevention team.

Tower Hamlets council's community safety chief Cllr Abdal Ullah said: "High-visibility patrols on estates help to deter anti-social behaviour and reassure residents.

"We're taking a zero-tolerance approach to anyone misbehaving in communal stairwells, with groups of potential troublemakers being moved on."

Fly-tipping, bulk rubbish and dog fouling are also tackled by the THEOs on Tower Hamlets Homes estates.