A PAIR of special constables discovered drugs paraphernalia in an underpass as they carried out patrols in Wickford.

Special constables Ricky Brown and Jaime Parker helped provide a visible police presence in the town on Saturday and a made a point of visiting the underpass at Park Drive following complaints about antisocial behaviour.

In the underpass, they found small plastic bags, empty gas cannisters and alcohol cans littered across the floor.

The rubbish was bagged up and sent off for forensic examination.

Mr Brown, who works as an insurance broker in his day job, said: “There were lots of cans and empty small plastic bags, which you could have contained cannabis.

“We could smell cannabis when we were there. There were also a lot of gas cannisters that had nitrous oxide inside of them. There have been intelligence reports in the past that suggested that there was activity going on underneath the underpass.

“We always make a point to go into that area several times during the shift to see if there is anyone there.

“On this occasion there was nobody there.”

Both the special constables collected the evidence and discarded the rubbish and a report has been prepared for the regular community policing team officers.

Mr Brown said that the officers will then add the area onto their regular patrols to try and stamp out any nuisance activity occurring.

Active citizen Sarah Keevil, 30, of Haslemere Road, Wickford, said antisocial behaviour at the underpass was an ongoing issue.

She said: “There is an ongoing problem of kids hanging around the Park Drive underpass.

“Just before Christmas we met with local residents who were saying to us that they were concerned with what was going on.

“We advised that they have got to keep on reporting incidents to the police so officers will know that there is a problem.

“People are saying that there are gas cannisters left in car parks in Wickford.

“It’s good that officers are patrolling there - they are acting as a deterrent.”

Anyone with information about drug-taking and antisocial behaviour in Wickford can call Essex Police on 101 or crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.