TEENAGERS taking legal highs are making life a misery for residents living around a popular park.

Calls have been made for the gates at Lake Meadows, Billericay, to be locked at night to stop youngsters gathering to inhale nitrous oxide, known as laughing gas.

Basildon Council stopped shutting them two years ago in a bid to cut £80,000 from its annual budget.

Kevin Blake, deputy leader of the Tory administration, has launched a review in the wake of complaints.

He said: "The residents are going through a tough time, there is no doubt about that.

There has been stuff thrown at windows and threats made.

"I don't necessarily think locking the gates at the night is the solution, but I'm happy to look at it.

“Other parks which are open round-the-clock don't have such a problem with legal highs.

“The issue is the youths, and we need to take action against them."

Residents want to see Lake Meadows locked between 9pm and 7am. Mr Blake has suggested they take on the responsibility themselves, but he is also in talks with bosses at the First Strokes swimming pool.

Nitrous oxide cannisters can be seen littering the ground around the park, off Radford Crescent.

Phil Turner, leader of the council, added: "I know it's legal, but it's not acceptable.

"A lot of council's having been talking about using new legislation to stop people using legal highs in public, but we've got to see what that is and see if we can use it to effect. We can't lock people up for taking legal highs, so all we can do is ask them to move on.

“We're working with police to see if there is any way forward.

"It's going to be hardwork, but that's not going to stop us trying.

"Lake Meadows is a popular park day and night, but unfortunately that sometimes causes problems for residents."

Nitrous oxide is not illegal but it can be deadly

WHILE nitrous oxide is not illegal, it has been branded dangerous.

Eighteen-year-old Ally Calvert died last month after taking laughing gas, also known as “hippie crack”, at a house party. Between 2006 and 2012, 17 people in Britain died after inhaling the legal high, including 23-year-old company director Daniel Watts, who was found at his home next to a large cylinder of nitrous oxide.

Ths gas, which is inhaled using a balloon, can make people feel relaxed, euphoric and giggly.

However, it slows down the brain’s and body’s responses, and taking too much can cause dizziness and fainting. If it is taken with alcohol and causes a lack lof oxygen, it can be fatal.

While it is not illegal to possess nitrous oxide, it is illegal for anyone to sell it to under- 18s.