A “SHANTY town” of people living in disused garages is keeping residents awake at night.

People living in London Road, and Ceylon Road, Westcliff, say people are congregating in the derelict garages and there are sofas and household furniture in the makeshift camp.

People whose homes back on to the garages say they are frequently woken in the early hours by shouting and screaming.

The path to the garages, from Ceylon Road, is also becoming filled with rubbish as a result of the alleged settlement, they claim.

One Ceylon Road resident, who didn’t want to be named, said: “You hear lots of noise at 3am or 4am, lots of shouting and carrying on, and there are a lot of people there late at night.

“Sometimes it can be twice a week, sometimes it’s every night, and it’s keeping my wife up at night, because she’s not well.”

Another added: “It can’t carry on. I’m being woken up at all times of the night by people shouting and screaming.

“I don’t know whether they’re living there, but they’re certainly spending a lot of time there late at night and during the day. They even make fires.

“The sooner it’s sorted out, the better.”

Another woman who lives in a flat along London Road said she was certain people were living in the garages.

She said: “They’re fighting, shouting and screaming all the time, day and night and has been going on for quite a long time.

“Everybody is complaining because they’re very noisy, I think they’re drinking.” She added people were living on both sides of the two rows of garages.

She said: “I think the police should check and see what’s going on.”

A council spokesman said: “We are concerned to hear of people squatting in substandard conditions. We were not aware of this issue and thank the Echo for bringing it to our attention.

“We will investigate this report and work with partner agencies to respond appropriately.”

"WE'RE JUST SOCIALISING, NOT SLEEPING"

WHEN the Echo approached people near the garages, one man claimed the area was used for socialising, rather than living.

The man, who did not want to be named, said the owner of the plot did not have a problem with the garages being used the way they were.

He said: “We just come here to socialise and the landlord who owns these garages is happy for us to be here.

They’re derelict.

“I can’t speak for everybody here, but we’re not homeless and, as far as I know, no-one sleeps here.”

Milton councillor Julian Ware-Lane said he was only made aware of the phenomenon about a month ago and had not been able to establish whether anyone was living there or not.

He said: “I’ve been to see it a couple of times after people complained to me that it was being used by the homeless and also by people taking drugs but I can’t substantiate that.

“I’ve been told it’s owned by people from East London and the problem with it is it’s very tucked away behind buildings on all sides.

“I’d be concerned if there are people living there, though, because I would want all rough sleepers to be housed properly.

There will be no amenities there and it must get very cold in winter."