Our beautiful town has become a no-go zone after 6pm

FED-UP locals in a picturesque harbour town say local police are 'a myth in the sticks' and growing crime has left them ‘scared’ to go out at night.

Residents in the historic town of Bideford in North Devon say they have ‘given up’ contacting local police because their phone calls to the 101 non-emergency number have gone unanswered.

At first glance the small town looks picture-perfect, with the River Torridge running through it, historical buildings, cobbled streets and lush green parks, as well as a Victorian ‘Pannier’ market.

But delve a little deeper, and Bideford’s low crime statistics don’t reflect the experiences of frustrated locals.

Daily crime problems including fighting in the street, drug use, drug paraphernalia left on the street and in public toilets, as well as anti-social behaviour and shoplifting.

The problem is so serious that Torridge Town Council’s licensing committee met last month to discuss the issues after they were raised by taxi drivers.

One local, Tracy Rimington, 47, said: “There’s a problem with drunks and people on drugs hanging about in Bideford, even in the daytimes, but the police don’t really do much about it. I feel quite threatened by it sometimes.

“I wouldn’t go out in an evening because I’m scared. There’s also gangs of young people hanging around because there’s nothing for them to do here, and there's a lot of shoplifting. I’ve got older kids myself, but I know where they are in an evening.

“I’ve lived here most of my life, but I didn’t notice much drug use or alcoholism compared to now.

“This is a beautiful area, the parks and river are beautiful, but the police don’t do enough to tackle the problems we have. They must know what’s going on, especially in Jubilee Square, because there are CCTV cameras.

“I think Bideford could attract more tourists if only the problems were sorted out.”

County lines - where drug dealers from big cities use young runners to transport drugs to rural areas - has been on the rise in Devon and Cornwall and a recent police crackdown led to 43 arrests in March.

Earlier this month, Devon and Cornwall police made a renewed push with Operation Scorpion, urging locals to come forward and report any drug-related activity as part of a regional campaign to disrupt county lines gangs.

Local pub landlady Shirley Seatherton, 65, said: “I’ve seen people drinking on the quay at 8am in the morning, groups of four of five usually, sitting on the benches.

“There is a lot of a drug use in the town, I don’t tolerate it in the pub obviously but on the quay it happens. They’re effing and blinding, it mostly happens on Saturdays, and they’re fighting and being abusive. It’s diabolical.”

Jubilee Square, a small square with wooden benches and a central tree, is a few hundred yards from the town council offices and across the road from the quay, where the public toilets are.

Next to the main road through the town and surrounded by shops and offices, the small area is a magnet for street drinkers and drug addicts with nowhere to go.

Dierdre Connis, 73, works for Torridge Volunteer Cars, in an office overlooking the square.

She said: “At times Jubilee Square is peaceful, except when groups of mostly men, but sometimes women as well, congregate there.

“They can be quite loud and looking down from above I get the impression they’re either drunk or on some medication of some kind. I’ve seen them hurling abuse at each other as well.

“I’m not bothered too much by these people hanging around in the square, because I think I’m particularly hard-nosed, but there is a lady I worked with who did feel frightened going to and coming from the office. She felt intimidated.”

Another anonymous local added: "The rise in drink and drugs has been very noticeable in the last couple of years - if it can happen here, it feels like it could happen anywhere."

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[robertdavies]

Great to see Vicky Pollard doing so well

[SwiffyDK]

This will be the future of many other cities no doubt

[stamfordmeetup]

This is what happens when you spread the rubber boatmen across different parts of the UK.

[Storm.Z.u]

The kids they are complaining about are their own kids, they need to look at how they brought them up.

[kirbyak]

It started since 2008.and now we go.to.2023 😂

[adambeani]

Lot of druggies about but it's mostly harmless ..
The police are lazy but it's as safe as any town in this country..

[edmundblackadder]

It’s so rare to see a police car these days.

[IAMAnsari]

Really funny to think how some diversity would be good for this town 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[marianaimolihudson]

Rubbish, I live in Bideford and have never had any problems.

[kingbob]

Police dont do anything round here the fire fighters do more

[martinstevens]

Ask yourself one question if there is no work for the locals ie low payed jobs wait till the immigrants come 🇬🇧✝️✝️😡

[nosimpingnocap]

What's with the tramps in the comments