OVERGROWN trees in Billericay are being blamed for attracting "hooligans" who damage property and defecate on cars.
Residents are sick of the unkempt trees in Davids Walk, with some claiming they have led to more criminal damage in the area by providing shade for groups to congregate under.
Steve Radford, 55, is fed up with the situation.
His house in Valley Road backs on to the problem street, which is overrun with out-of-control saplings and unruly sycamores.
The delivery driver, who lives with his wife Linda, 49, and daughter Samantha, 21, said: "The overgrown trees are inviting youngsters to congregate on the road as they feel they can't be seen.
"They park their cars up and play music at the back end of the street and they are shadowed by the trees.
"We have had a lot of criminal damage – it's a place where hooligans hang out.
"Since we have been here I have had 17 cases of damage to my car. I think it's made worse by the trees, the youngsters hang around under them until 2am.
"My daughter won't park on the road anymore because she fears her car will get damaged. I have had wing mirrors pulled off and even had my car defecated on."
And the trees are not just a security concern for Mr Radford. "They are also an eyesore and are blocking light," he said.
"Around 12 leylandii were planted alongside the road and they have grown out of control – I made contact with the council last year and they just took the tops off, which didn't solve the problem.
"We also have a problem with sycamores which are self-seeded and the council just ignores them, birds sit on these ones and mess all over the cars. The road surface is also being pulled up by roots."
Mr Radford said he has reported the tree problem to Essex County Council several times over the years, but is still waiting for action to be taken.
He added: "They have promised to trim the trees but nothing has happened.
"I feel in this part of Billericay we are forgotten."
Peter Newman, 64, lives on Greens Farm Lane with his wife Linda, 70, and their garden also backs onto Davids Walk.
Mr Newman, who runs a constitutional club in Billericay, said: "The leylandii trees completely shade us and we have tried to get someone to cut them down but no one will listen to what you say.
"It would cost £800 just for a trim of the trees and we don't see why we should pay it.
"There is also a sycamore right outside our gate which is growing sideways – if it comes down it will destroy my garage.
"The council should have taken the tree down when it was young, before it got this bad. There are lots of young trees growing on the bank.
"I have complained for years – it's a nightmare, but I haven't bothered this year – I've given up."
The council has now cut down weeds on the bank of Davids Walk but Mr Radford says more needs to be done.
"They still haven't cut back the large trees shading the road and have ignored the young sycamores," he said.
A spokesman for Essex County Council said its parks department had completed an initial tidy-up and cut-back of the area, referring to the work it carried out on the bank, and insisted the rest of the work would be completed.
The spokesman added: "Another resident has requested further work to be done, and we expect this to take place during our scheduled winter maintenance work."
