AN infamous alleyway in Worcester should be blocked off to keep out criminals, say residents.

Homeowners want the alley, between Randwick Drive in Warndon and Haresfield Close shut after suffering years of criminal and anti-social behaviour.

John Goode refuses to park his vehicle in the car park because of vandals.

"They have spraypainted my doors, thrown bricks at my walls and windows, and taken our hanging baskets," he said.

His wife Pearl said: "We were thinking about moving away but why should we? This is our home. We used to do a lot round here to keep the alley tidy but it's just not worth it."

Mother-of-two Stacey Knight, aged 26, said she has found several drug users' needles in her garden since her family moved in at Christmas.

"Residents would like that alleyway blocked off," she said. "I'm deeply concerned about the safety of my children."

Keith Rowberry said lighting is so bad the area has become a thieves' paradise.

In February, the Worcester News revealed he was so concerned, he installed a halogen light and CCTV camera on his property.

"It's terrible," said the 48-year-old.

"My neighbour's car was broken into and they smashed the steering off it.

"Cars are being dumped and set on fire."

Mr Rowberry said the car park is also full of large potholes and steps, which people often fall down because of poor lighting.

A Worcestershire County Council spokesman said: "Improving community safety is a priority of the county council and to help us achieve this, we do have powers known as Gating Orders (to close off an alleyway).

"We would always work in partnership with West Mercia police and Worcester City Council if we were to explore such options.

"However, the law compels us to have hard, recorded evidence of anti-social behaviour and also evidence that we have explored all other options to reduce such problems, because any gating order would inevitably impact in a negative way on the lives or law-abiding citizens in the area. It also has to be agreed that an order would solve the issue of anti-social behaviour, not merely move it to a different place.

"And we have of course got to consider any public rights of way issues that could be raised should an alleyway be closed off."

A police spokesman said in the past two years there have been 244 reported incidents in and around Randwick Drive, 115 of which concerned the subject of an anti-social behaviour order.

He said reports included cars being broken into, damaged and stolen.