BESEIGED residents living in a once-quiet coastal town say they are forced to plead with armed thugs who brazenly torch cars and fire guns in front of helpless police.
Locals from Grangetown, Tyne and Wear, where machete-wielding yobs reportedly roam the streets all year round, are begging cops to “do more”.
Across the rundown Teesside town, front doors were splattered with “Help us”, and “Keep out!” daubed in spray paint for Halloween.
But after a spate of horrendous violence, these decorations now read more like a chilling SOS from a community under siege.
The latest horror unfolded this month on Richmond Court, once a peaceful cul-de-sac where kids happily played in the street.
As daylight faded on October 16, a black Volvo SUV thundered down the street and up to six masked thugs leapt out wielding machetes.
The gang doused a parked Jeep in petrol and set it ablaze before smashing the windows of two properties.
They then reversed the SUV at speed into the front of another home – not once, but three times – leaving it looking like it had been “bombed”.
A 43-year-old man was beaten and taken to hospital with a serious arm injury – but the carnage did not stop there.
Four hours later, a shotgun was fired at a car parked near Richmond Court – the gunman brazenly riding past police on a quad bike before pulling the trigger.
One dad living on the close told how he how he pleaded with the machete-wielding thugs not to torch the house next door.
Terrified the flames would swallow his family home too, he explained: “I was in the kitchen and I heard a load of commotion.
“I came out and saw them setting fire to this Jeep. I said ‘don’t set fire to the house, lads’ because obviously it would affect my house.
“They were running about with machetes. All balaclava-ed up, wearing gloves. They all meant business. They weren’t here to play games.
“They started screaming ‘where is he? where is he?’ They went over the road and started smashing a house up, then they found where he was.
“They put the car in reverse and rammed another house three times.
“It’s all to do with drugs, I’m certain. I’m born and bred in Grangetown. I’ve seen it all and its has always had a bad reputation.
“But crack cocaine and cocaine’s taken it to the next level – the drugs have just made it worse.”
Cleaning up the debris left by the torched Jeep, the dad-of-two suggested officers were being “run-ragged” by the thugs.
He added: “The police need to do more. The fact they shot at the car when there were five of six police officers standing nearby says everything.
During the same attack, another neighbour recalled her daughter “screaming” as the Jeep went up in flames.
She said: “I had the curtains shut but I heard this ‘whoosh’. We looked outside and the Jeep on the drive was up in flames.
“Later on, these lads on a quad bike just drove past the police, shot at a car, and then drove past more police on the way out.
“You don’t want to feel scared where you live, but we are.”
Following the incident, Cleveland Police have made 10 arrests and seized more than £50,000 in cash, a machete and two vehicles.
Shockingly, during the same evening, another family home came under attack just half a mile away.
A mob of up to 40 yobs hurled fireworks and bricks at a property in a racially-aggravated attack.
When police arrived, the yobs turned on them too – pelting a van with rocks and fireworks.
Pictures show the vehicle’s windows caved in and rocks lodged in its smashed windscreen, with two boys aged 12 and 16 later arrested.
Grangetown is situated in Cleveland, North Yorkshire, named earlier this year as the UK’s most crime ridden borough with 128.5 offences per 1000 people.
When asked why the area is so bad, some locals pointed to the crimes that happen under the cover of night.
John Vaughan, 46, said: “You’ve got to keep yourself to yourself. Come back at tea time and you’ll see.
“All the grafters will be out, dealing drugs on their bikes. They all come out when it’s dark.”
On Birchington Avenue, by the boarded up Magnet pub, another resident gave his frank view of Grangetown while clutching a can of lager.
He said: “The place is a s***hole. Bikes tearing up and down the road, drugs everywhere.
“The police patrols on for a couple of days and then it livened straight back up again.
“You’ve got kids, 12 and 13, running gear for gangs. It’s nuts. You don’t want to be around here at night.”
One woman, who like many was too fearful to be named, reckon yobs feel “untouchable” in the area, which is “overrun with drugs”.
She claimed they were “laughing at the police”.
Another lifelong resident, who had her windows smashed by thugs, says she “doesn’t feel safe in her own home”.
The school cleaner went on to blame youngsters with “nothing better to do.”
Some older residents reflected on glory days from the 1950s and 60s, when it was considered a smart suburb following a rapid expansion in the late 19th century thanks to a vast steelworks.
At the time, locals had skilled jobs at Teesport, a centre for the production of chemicals which were shipped all over the world.
But by 2015, Grangetown was ranked the sixth most deprived council ward in England, out of almost 8,000.
Ray Prest, 84, gave an insight into the “decent” Grangetown of old.
The pensioner said: “I’ve lived here all my life and I’ve seen Grangetown when it was decent.
“My mam used to leave money on the table for the rent, back door unlocked, and nothing ever went missing.”
But not all people living in the crime-ridden borough have given up hope.
Claire Redmayne, 42, insists there is a good community at heart.
She said: “People talk about Grangetown like it’s all bad, but where I live, everyone’s friendly. There’s still a proper community here.
“I moved here from an estate in Redcar 13 years ago – and honestly, I’m happier here. That place was worse than this.
“It’s a shame the bad stuff overshadows the good, because there really are a lot of good people and good things happening in Grangetown.”
Redcar & Cleveland MP Anna Turley described the spate of violence in Grangetown as “absolutely horrific”.
The Labour Party chair has demanded extra police and funding in the area.
Cleveland’s temporary Assistant Chief Constable, Dave Sutherland, defiantly claimed thugs “do not own the streets” of Grangetown.
He said detectives had been “working around the clock” to identify people involved in the recent spate of violence.
Mr Sutherland added: “Our message is clear – criminals do not and will not own these streets.”
The Sun has approached Cleveland Police and Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council for comment.
Cllr Adam Brook said: “The recent events witnessed in our community were nothing short of horrendous.
“I want to reassure residents that the voices and concerns of our community are being heard.”
Local policing Chief Superintendent Rachel Stockdale said: “Grangetown is a proud and tight knit community and whilst this brings many positives we understand that, conversely, it may lead to some residents feeling unable to support police or to provide information on crime and ASB.
“I want to reassure anyone feeling this way that the authorities are here to support you and to work with you to build a stronger and safer community, but we do need your help.
“You can help police by reporting where illegal or nuisance vehicles and off roaders are being stored and who’s using them, and who is involved in crime and ASB.
“To those who believe they can do as they like, my message is this: you do not own these streets.
“We will never tolerate violence, intimidation, hate or crime and we, our partners and the law-abiding majority of Grangetown residents will keep working together to identify and target you – and bring you to justice.”
