LOCALS have compared their estate to war-torn Ukraine where kids carry knives and one was stabbed in the eye.
Residents told an urban explorer who visited the Blakenall Heath housing estate near Walsall that he was at risk of being “cheffed up” – slang for being stabbed.
SWNSLocals have complained of a climate of fear on the estate[/caption]
SWNSFly-tipping in the area has seen it compared to a war zone[/caption]
SWNSCouncillors said that knife crime was not a particular issue in the area[/caption]
SWNSAn urban explorer was told to watch out while wandering around the estate[/caption]
The explorer, known as Wendall, was told by locals that there were “kids being stabbed every f*g day” on the Black country estate.
A 13-year-old boy was left blind in one eye after he was slashed across the face outside a local chippy. The teenager also suffered a fractured eye-socket in the attack outside the King Cod Chippy.
The attacker pulled out a knife during a fight outside the chippy during the early hours of the morning in August 2022.
One local Wendall spoke to said he never went out at night due to the menace of feral street gangs.
“I don’t go out at night, put it that way,” he said. Explaining that there was too much trouble on the streets, especially after dark, he added: “I just stray out of the way.”
Another local complained that the area had become a “no-go zone” for police because their squad cars get pelted with bricks.
One said: “It has got to the point where we are scared to leave our homes even in the daytime.
“The place has just rapidly declined into almost a state of lawlessness since the pandemic.
“Before then we did have issues but not to the scale we are seeing now. It’s like a war zone out there at times.
“It’s just diabolical – but that’s Blakenhall for you. It’s become a no-go zone for police and that is what is most worrying. You just don’t go out after 3pm.”
One anonymous shopkeeper told local press: “I have lost staff members who just can’t face being abused on a daily basis.
“They come in and steal eggs and then use those eggs to pelt the shop. We get racially abused too, we’ve just had enough.”
Local resident Andy Bloxham, 38, told Birmingham Live: “Its a shame as there’s some lovely people here, we’ve just got more than our fair share of mindless idiots bringing the area down.
“People shouldn’t be living in fear in their own homes. Its been a year since our little estate first made headlines and since then nothing has changed.”
“It’s still the same. If anything these gangs see being named Britain’s roughest estate as a badge of honour.”
Local independent councillor Pete Smith has been quoted as comparing parts of the estate as being similar to war torn Ukraine.
Speaking to The Sun, Cllr Smith said: ” I made reference to Ukraine in relation to a couple of abandoned homes where there had been fly-tipping. I think I said the area looked like a bomb site.
“Fortunately knife crime and drugs are not particular issues on the estate. I am aware of the incident outside the chippy that was unusual rather than the norm.
“The main issue has been groups of youths throwing stones at passing cars, taxis and buses. Fortunately the police and council appear to have dealt with the matter.”
Cllr Izzy Hussain said: “I think the main issues on the estate relate to anti-social behaviour. We had an issue with stone throwing which was a particular problem. There were groups of teens hiding behind a wall and then targeting cars, taxis and buses.
“Fortunately the police stepped in and appeared to have dealt with the matter.
“Last year we had a tragic incident when a young girl was run over and killed by a motorcyclist in the area. I know that a boy was arrested. “
The Sun has approached Walsall Council for comment.
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