POLICE have been given legal backing to help permanently close a drugs den that had blighted the lives of residents in a Hampshire town.

Magistrates granted officers a Crack House Closure Order, barring anyone from entering the flat, in Gibraltar Close, Fareham.

It means anyone who steps foot in the property during the next three months, without permission from police, is automatically committing a criminal offence.

Within hours of the order being granted, council officials moved in to clear the one-bedroom flat and seal it up.

PC Alison Clark, from Fareham's Community Safety Unit, said the move demonstrates the police's determination to rid communities of the scourge of illegal drugs.

"Drug-related crime and antisocial behaviour will not be tolerated by the police and the community," she said.

"We are totally committed to driving down crime and improving the lives of residents and I believe this order will have a really positive effect on the lives of residents in Gibraltar Close."

Police are now urging residents to pass on their specific concerns, which are essential if they are to tackle the drug problem in the area.