AN estate blighted by anti-social behaviour has been awarded a grant of £40,000 to make it "cleaner and more attractive".

The Sherwood estate in Leavesden has been awarded the grant under Operation Gate-It, a Home Office initiative aimed at improving areas which suffer from anti-social behaviour.

Using the grant, spaces such as children's play areas, communal walkways, pathways and alleyways behind houses that have been out of bounds for residents will be given make-overs to make them safer and cleaner.

The new funding has been welcomed by Watford's MP, Claire Ward, who has campaigned against vandalism and hooliganism in the area for several years.

The Sherwood estate has had a particular problem with young thugs and hooligans, and 18 months ago Ms Ward arranged a meeting between local residents and the former Home Secretary, David Blunkett, so he could see first-hand the problems they were facing.

For full story see Friday's printed version of the Watford Observer.