A flat has been shut down by police for a further three months after neighbours suffered verbal abuse and intimidation.

Kent Police is now working with landlords Hyde Housing to permanently evict the perpetrators of the anti-social behaviour that brought about the closure of the property in Strood in October last year.

The closure has been extended until April 18 after officers applied for another court order.

It means only the landlord or an acting agent will be able to attend the flat in Silver Streak Way. Anyone who goes there could face up to 51 days in prison and/or a court fine.

Police investigated numerous reports of anti-social behaviour at the property which began in October 2020.

Officers were called several times after occupants and visitors to the address verbally abused and intimidated members of the community.

Neighbours also complained of shouting and banging of doors at all hours of the day.

The first closure order was also granted after drug paraphernalia was found discarded throughout the communal areas of the building.

At the time, Sgt Stephen Holpin, from Kent Police’s Medway Community Safety Unit, said: "It is deeply regrettable that we have had to take this action, but the occupant of this address was having a severely detrimental impact on the surrounding community which could not go unchallenged.

"We made continued efforts with our partner agencies to encourage the occupant to change their behaviour, but they showed no willingness to exercise the most basic levels of respect to the surrounding community."

Today, police said the community safety unit had successfully applied to extend the closure order for three months and added: "We are working with Hyde Housing to try and permanently evict the perpetrators of the ASB [anti-social behaviour]."