RESIDENTS of a Wee County block of flats have detailed the misery of living in the area.

Maple Court in Alloa, once a place said to be the envy of some, has now been nicknamed Heroin Heights by those who live there due to the frequent drug-related incidents.

Pictures seen by the Advertiser show a communal garden covered in rubbish and needles, while those who live there have detailed the distress caused by those who frequent the area.

One resident, who wished not to be named, said: "We have a massive, massive problem with anti-social behaviour up here.

"A lot of the community officers, by the time they come around to see what's happening, everybody that's causing bother is gone.

"When I first moved in 12 years ago, you would tell people you live in Maple Court and they'd say: 'You're so lucky'... Now, I don't tell people where I stay."

The resident has a young child with their partner but admits they are unable to let the three-year-old play in the garden.

They continued: "It gets used as a public toilet. We've got a young child, we're in a position where we've had to go and clean it up ourselves.

"They can't play in the back garden because of needles, broken glass and waste covering the area.

"If you hang any name-brand washing out the back it disappears."

Another resident, who also wished not to be named, has lived there for 11 years and says over the past couple of years the place has went "right downhill".

They said: "Our child hasn't had any quality of life because she can't get out to play. Her friends don't come because they don't want to play in the area.

"There's no consideration for the people who live there."

Police and paramedics attend the area so often the residents are now recognising them when they arrive.

Needles can be seen in the garden and residents regularly see people using the close of the building to use drugs.

A security door is said to be easily opened with a bit of force and is regularly entered by people who don't live in the building.

A third resident, who has lived at Maple Court for more than 15 years, says it's "actually horrible now" to live there.

Her teenage child has lived their whole life at Maple Court, but only recently has suggested the family move.

"We were quite a good wee community," the resident said. "Now I barely want to talk to anybody except certain people.

"It's getting quite scary."