A POLICE sergeant and a team of volunteers spruced up an overgrown area of Oxford in a bid to deter drug addicts from loitering by the waterside.

In the spirit of true community policing, Sgt Peter Neale and a group of helpers cleared a towpath along Castle Mill Stream.

The hope is that the group’s efforts will deter antisocial behaviour by the waterside near Upper Fisher Row and Rewley Road and empower the community in that area.

Sergeant Neale, who came up with the initiative this summer, said: "The idea is that when you have overgrown areas it can attract various forms of antisocial behaviour including drug and alcohol misuse.

"Clearing them opens these areas up to greater visibility to those walking past and people in overlooking premises and that acts as a deterrent for those who would undertake that kind of behaviour.

"Because we’ve been hearing that drug addicts were hanging around in that location, but would never be able to identify each one, we’ve focussed on tidying up the location to encourage people to walk through more confidently."

It was just upstream from Upper Fisher Row at Abbey Road where, in September, a car was smashed through a wall and into the steam below in what locals were convinced was a case related to drug dealing and antisocial behaviour on their stretch of the water.

On Thursday, Sgt Neale led a team of 10, including fellow police officers, members of the community and staff from Green Templeton College, cleared the overgrown paths frequented by drug addicts.

But it wasn’t just a cleaning exercise: the officers also had the opportunity to engage with the community – including knocking on doors and speaking with residents to explain what they were doing.

Sgt Neal said: "We had people from the community coming out to help, which was brilliant, and also some who were just passing by and told us it looked great."

The group made short work of the challenge and cleared the area in a few hours.

Sgt Neale continued: "The more a community invests in its surroundings the more people you get talking to each other about strengthening the community

"It took about three hours to do and hopefully the results will yield dividends. Time will tell – but I can’t see how it won’t have a positive effect."

It is far from the only community initiative Sgt Neal has planned: similar schemes are on the horizon and will be revealed in due course.

Sgt Neale is working on establishing a community forum for the west of the city near where the community clean-up took place. Any residents who want to get involved can email oxfordcentralnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk.