People loitering on estate face arrest in first-of-its-kind order

Unwanted visitors have been banned from open spaces at a housing estate, in the first order of its kind designed to "rescue" areas from criminals.

- Chris Osuh

For the next three months, anyone loitering in stairwells, on bridges, in open spaces or near bin chutes across all 19 blocks of the Freehold estate in Greater Manchester faces arrest.

Since the inquest into the death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak who died after being exposed to mould in his home at Freehold, in Rochdale, conditions across the 1960s-built estate have come under scrutiny.

Residents have complained of "incessant drug dealing" and intimidation in the area, according to Greater Manchester police, who have responded with what is understood to be the first "closure order" of its kind.

Closure orders have been used before to shut down specific addresses, or limit access to parts of housing estates. But the scope of the open space closure order zone secured by police on the Freehold estate - covering an area of 376 properties - is unprecedented.