NEW security doors have been fitted to four notorious Southend towerblocks in an effort to cut vandalism and crime.

The reinforced doors which feature powerful magnets so they close quickly and securely should help residents feel safer.

The towerblocks – Chiltern, Malvern, Pennine and Quantock – have been plagued by crime because non-residents were able to get inside too easily.

They have been installed as neighbourhood patrols also take place across the area to help address the fear of crime.

Paul Longman, group manager for property services for South Essex Homes, which manages the blocks for Southend Council, said: “The main objective of the installation is to make them safer for the residents who live there by installing stronger and more modern doors. The old doors had to be repaired numerous times due to vandalism and were beyond economic repair.

“The new doors are an upgraded and renewed version, which have a powerful electric magnet mechanism, which is three times the magnetic holding force as the old doors.

This will prevent them from being pulled open by unauthorised visitors.

“However, we would still urge residents of the blocks not to wedge the doors open, not to allow tailgating and not to let people they do not know into the block – all these things will help prevent possible security breaches.”

The Echo has campaigned to improve safety at the blocks after our reporter Jon Austin was able to demonstrate how easy it was to get into them by entering unchallenged through an unsecured door.

The campaign was prompted by a catalogue of horrific events in the blocks, including the death Christopher Ryan, 45, who was tortured and killed in his flat at Malvern, the rape of a 17-year-old girl in a stairwell, also in Malvern, and gangs of Somali drug dealers targeting vulnerable residents.

Southend council is considering the long-term future of the blocks.

David Norman, Southend councillor responsible for adult social care, health and housing, said: “I am delighted these new doors are being installed, which will help to provide a safer and better environment for the people who live there.”

History of trouble

* Thursday, April 10, 2010 –

A 17-year-old girl was raped

in a stairwell of Malvern.

Richard Taylor, 23, of Blythe

Avenue, Shoebury, was later

jailed for seven years.

* September 2010 to

January 2011 – Operation

Saturn. Police arrest at least

33 drug dealers at the tower

blocks

* January 2011 – Somali

drug dealer Hassan Ali, then

26, of London Road,

Southend, was jailed and

given an antisocial behaviour

order banning him from

Southend

* November 11, 2011 –

Police carry out a crack

house closure on a flat at

Pennine. It was believed to

have been used by a Somali

drug-dealing gang

* November 17, 2011 –

Christopher Ryan, 45, was

tortured and killed in his flat

at Malvern

* November 2011 – the Echo

launches a campaign for

improved security

* July 2012 – vandals put lifts

out of action in Pennine

block

* November 2012 – £30,000

CCTV cameras installed in

lifts

* March 2013 – a cigarette in

a bin bag caused a flat fire in

Quantock

* January 2014 – the Echo

reveals homeless people

sleeping in the blocks and

people can no longer fully

open windows due to the risk

of glass falling out.