FED-UP residents want action at a former football pitch which has been boarded off and become a magnet for graffiti-spraying yobs.

The grassland, which used to be a play area for children, has been closed to the public since it was sold by English Partner-ships to developers JP Gatrell in November 2006.

The building company also owns land adjacent to the cordened off area, and wants to build flats. However, construction has been held up, as JP Gatrell is in dispute with Basildon Council over the plans. Building work has still not started and the blue fence has been covered in graffiti tags and other unsightly scrawl.

Residents, who believe the land should never have been sold off in the first place, said the fencing is attracting trouble makers to a previously quiet and safe road.

Pat Prosser, 59, who lives opposite the fence, said: “When my daughter got married and was picked up from our house in a Rolls-Royce, we couldn’t have any photos outside because you would have had all the graffiti in the background.

“It’s a horrible eyesore.

“One of the vandals sprayed the word ‘See’ on the board, then sprayed paint on all the nearby cars after he had finished.

“We never had any trouble here until they put that horrible boarding up.”

Mrs Prosser added she considered buying blue spray paint, to paint over the graffiti, but changed her mind because she feared being arrested.

Neighbour Tom Hodgson, 86, added: “It used to be a nice football field sheltered by trees, and even had little goalposts provided by the council.

“Now children play by the garages at the back of the houses, and make a terrible noise, when they kick their balls at the doors. When you tell them about it they can be quite abusive.”

Ryan De’ath, spokesman for Basildon Council, said: “It is the developer’s responsibility to remove the graffiti, as it’s on private land. It is not the responsibility of the council.”

John Gatrell, of JP Gatrell, said: “We have painted over the graffiti twice since we put up the fence. But it just creates another blank canvas for the vandals.

“However, we will paint it again.”