Grim reality of life in town centre apartments shown in pictures

Residents of the Lock Apartments in Alexander House Business Centre claim that for years, the block has been the location of a constant struggle with a group of drug users who frequently break in and use the place as a 'drug den'. 

Ceara Friday, 21, has lived in the building for two years.

The Lock Apartments in Swindon town centre (Image: Dave Cox)As well as having her own flat broken into, she says she constantly has to navigate past groups of 'homeless drug users' displaying violent and intimidating anti-social behaviour and committing lewd public sex acts in communal areas.

Read More: Town centre residents desperate as homes turned into 'drug dens'

And she claims she has often had to deal with the mess they leave behind, which includes human urine, faeces, used needles and other drug paraphernalia, vomit and other bodily fluids. 

Damage to the building's front door caused by people forcing their way in (Image: Ceara Friday)Ceara has shared a number of pictures showing damage to the building's front door, leaving the entire place and its residents defenceless, as well as some of the grim things she has been forced to come across. 

"I had this, sort-of, sordid feeling of realising I really do live in a hovel, and it shouldn't be like this. Young children live here," she said.

"It’s terrifying not feeling safe in your own home, I'm often on my own and on many occasions I have to walk past maybe six of them. It's scary and I don't want to go to my own home. Sometimes I get there and I just start shaking."

Dangerous and unsanitary used needles and other drug-use paraphernalia left in communal areas of the Lock Apartments (Image: Ceara Friday)Ceara has tried desperately to get property management MCR Homes to do something about the issue but says they aren't helpful or reactive.

In response, a spokesperson for MCR Homes, says it is committed to addressing the concerns raised but it was up to Swindon Borough Council to resolve the homeless issue in the town centre. 

They said: "Unfortunately, there is a much wider issue locally with homelessness in this area. This in turn has led to instances of antisocial behaviour and concerns around safety.

"We understand the importance of resolving these matters in the most effective way possible and have requested an emergency meeting with Swindon Council to address this as a matter of urgency.

"The property has proved to be an easy target for antisocial behaviour as it has immediate on-street access directly in front of the property - the council recognise this is not a property management issue."

But a spokesperson for Swindon Borough Council stated it was up to MCR Homes to ultimately keep its building secure. 

They said: “While we will continue to work with Wiltshire Police and other partners to tackle anti-social behaviour in the town centre, it remains the responsibility of MCR Homes to ensure its building is safe.

“We have spoken to Ceara directly and she appreciates the work our safer streets wardens have been doing alongside the police.

A large amount of waste left behind in the building's bin store by its unwelcome visitors (Image: Ceara Friday)“We have also spoken to MCR Homes in relation to adequately securing their site to prevent access, protect their building and address the issues Ceara has.

“The initial attempts by the company to prevent access were not good enough so we will be contacting them once again to ensure work is done to a high standard in order to prevent further incidents.

“Meanwhile, Wiltshire Police has a patrol plan in place and our wardens will continue to check on the area when they can.”