Newham Council will install blue lights on a crime-addled estate in the latest effort to stop drug addicts congregating to inject heroin.

The lights – used in hospital and petrol station toilets in America – make it harder for drug users to find their veins.

They will be installed outside blocks of flats in Stratford's Townley Court, where frightened residents have reported street brawls, knife crimes and brazen drug-dealing and prostitution.

However, it is unclear how these lights will combat the bigger problem of addicts smoking crack on residents' front doorsteps.

Newham announced its plan to install the lights after residents reported that addicts were once again descending on their estate to use Class A drugs in broad daylight.

Shocking new images were sent to the Recorder in the weeks after a police operation set up to tackle the estate’s problems – dubbed Operation Furdale – was closed down.

A woman prepares her drugs in broad daylight, sat outside the front door of a block of flats in Townley Court, then smokes them through a pipeA woman prepares her drugs in broad daylight, sat outside the front door of a block of flats in Townley Court, then smokes them through a pipe (Image: Submitted) The operation had been launched in summer after the Recorder published a series of articles about residents’ plight.

Our reporter toured the estate with residents in June, finding public and private areas strewn with faeces, drugs wraps, used condoms and discarded underwear.

They even found a knife hidden in a communal garden.

Frustrated locals described how prostitutes and drug users sometimes gained access to blocks of flats but otherwise engaged in illicit activities out in the open.

One furious mum recalled her son leaving their flat and finding a sex worker servicing a client in the stairwell. Another mum saw a prostitute engaged in a sex act in the street in broad daylight.

After our reports, said one resident, “Things started to improve on the estate slightly – and there was hardly any activity in July because a special team from Plaistow police were doing night patrols here and arresting anyone who was violating the community protection notices.

“The officers were great and made sure they engaged with all the residents in the day to get information about the persistent offenders and the key times to catch them at night.”

A man was recently found asleep or passed out in the stairwell of one of the blocks of flats. Residents have long raised concerns about the ease with which outsiders are gaining access to their homesA man was recently found asleep or passed out in the stairwell of one of the blocks of flats. Residents have long raised concerns about the ease with which outsiders are gaining access to their homes (Image: Submitted) Catch up:

But in late August, the Operation Furdale email address stopped working and residents stopped seeing the officers around the estate, alleged the resident, who wished to remain anonymous.

“This has meant that all of the antisocial behaviour has slowly started up again,” they complained.

“Drug users are kicking in the door of the block at the end again to go in there to use drugs or sleep. The council still haven’t replaced this door fully and keep doing repairs on it which aren’t working.

“Community protection officers from Newham Council occasionally turn up but they are useless as they have no powers of arrest and they are never here at night.”

Newham Council insisted it was “continuing to carry out high-visibility patrols in the area”, with more than 35 conducted in September.

A man was photographed by a resident appearing to count out a number of drugs wraps, then retrieve a crack pipe from his coat pocketA man was photographed by a resident appearing to count out a number of drugs wraps, then retrieve a crack pipe from his coat pocket (Image: Submitted) “No antisocial behaviour was witnessed, however, several outreach referrals for rough sleeping and sex working have been completed and a problematic group of non-residents have been moved away from the area,” a spokesperson said.

“Work to install improved locks at Townley Court, which will prevent the external doors being kicked or pushed open, is due in the next two weeks.

“Blue lights, which prevent drug-taking, will be installed under the canopy which is above the stairwells outside the blocks. This is an area where drug users have historically used to congregate. These works will be completed by the beginning of November.

“We continue to liaise with our partners in the Metropolitan Police, who also continue regular patrols in the area.”

Met Police chief inspector Sarah Jackson said: “While officers may not be completing their patrols under Operation Furdale any longer, this has not led to a decrease in patrols in the area.”

She claimed officers had continued with “regular patrols, both the day and night, to provide a visible presence and deter offenders”.

A woman was caught on camera unwrapping her drugs on the doorstep of a block of flats in Townley Court, then using a pipe to smoke themA woman was caught on camera unwrapping her drugs on the doorstep of a block of flats in Townley Court, then using a pipe to smoke them (Image: Submitted) “We use a wide range of tactics including plain clothed patrols in unmarked police cars,” said Ch Insp Jackson.

“They do this while regularly engaging with local residents and responding to their concerns.”

She added that in July and August, police received only five antisocial behaviour calls to the estate – down on preceding months.

“We do however realise that calls to police do not paint the full picture in regards to local issues and would encourage residents to report any offences to police by calling 101 or reporting online, or by calling 999 in an emergency.”