POUNDS 1M FOR DRUGS RAVAGED ESTATE

The Housing Executive is spending more than pounds 1.2m in an attempt to rescue a drugs-ravaged estate in Ballymena.

The cash is being used to knock down vacant property in the estate and to fund environmental work and new road layouts on the Doury Road estate.

The difficulties plaguing the area came into focus after the body of a 41-year-old woman was found and links to drugs are being probed.

Following the tragedy fresh calls for renewed action against drugs have been made.

Flats at Wayside Green where May Temporal's body was found on September 4 have regularly been raided by Drugs Squad officers in recent years.

Ballymena councillor Willie Wright said action was needed at the flats, saying that he has watched drug dealers openly going about their business in the area.

A Housing Executive spokeswoman said they were keen to clean up the image of the area: "The block of flats has been problematic."