Revamp of alleyway reduces crime reports to zero

A community group's transformation of an alleyway into a garden has reduced reports of crime in the passageway to zero.

The alleyway, between the gardens of Bishops Road and Blomfield Street in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, had previously been prone to fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour but was revamped in June, residents said.

Cait O'Reilly, whose home backs onto the alley, said she set up the community group Blombish after a police chase and arrest down the alleyway last summer distressed residents.

Suffolk Constabulary confirmed there had been "no reported crimes in that location for the last two months".

O'Reilly said: "The alley was used for fly-tipping, building rubbish, bins everywhere, anti-social behaviour, there was drug dealing happening pretty much every evening and there was that one incident which was pretty horrendous and traumatic for everybody so we decided that was enough."

Blombish raised funds to clear the alleyway of rubbish and the renovation was completed in June.

"We've had four or five deliveries of bark that's been spread. Bury in Bloom donated hanging baskets, other people have put pots, tubs out there, they've funded it themselves," O'Reilly said.

O'Reilly said: "If you make something nice and attractive and what people like, they're going to look after it - and people who are going to commit crimes or anti-social behaviour will go elsewhere because it's not the right environment for them to do the sorts of things that they want to do."

Ben Hollands, from Suffolk Police, said: "The police recognise the excellent work being done by local residents in transforming this area into a place of pride.

"We continue to carry out patrols here and elsewhere."

O'Reilly has reached the final to receive a BBC Suffolk Make a Difference award for her work.

On hearing she was a finalist, she said: "I felt very humbled actually... I might have initiated it right at the beginning but this has completely been a community project."

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