Police close nuisance house on The Oval, Rose Hill

Officers in the city announced yesterday they had been granted the order on 31 The Oval, Rose Hill.

These orders are used to force the closure of houses that are frequented by illegal activity such as drug taking and dealing, and are often an anti-social nuisance to neighbours.

Among the neighbours who have been annoyed by the house in this case are the police themselves - who have an office next door to the estate in question.

The Oxford officers said they worked with Oxford City Council to get the order as they have done on several occasions before.

In August the council and police shut down a house on Bath Street, East Oxford, which had been plagued by drug taking, dealing and other anti-social behaviour.

In February last year the authorities announced they had shut down a second city house which had been used for 'cuckooing' - where drug dealers take over the home of a vulnerable person, such as an adult with learning disabilities, and use it as a base for their illegal operations.

In the latest shut-down, the Rose Hill Neighbourhood Police Team managed to get a parial closure order from the court, but that still makes it illegal for anyone without authorisation to go inside.

The team tweeted about their success yesterday and Maggie Lewis, chairman of Oxford Neighbourhood Watch, quickly responded 'well done'.