Not so long ago nobody wanted to know you if you said you lived at Downland Court. But times have changed.

The blocks of flats in Stonery Road, Portslade, were synonymous with crime and anti-social behaviour.

People living there today are the first to agree that until seven years ago Downland Court deserved its no-go area reputation.

Since then things have changed and have improved so much that people who once left in despair have now moved back again.

Since residents took matters into their own hands, the estate now boasts a thriving Neighbourhood Watch scheme, the council has invested thousands on improvements and crime has been cut dramatically.

The flats were built in 1961 but a lack of investment meant they soon fell into disrepair.

The flats quickly became rundown, vandalised, and a magnet for criminals and drug dealers.

Former Miss Brighton Tina Urquhart moved there more than 20 years ago.

She said: "Until seven years ago everything they said about these flats was true.

"There was drug taking and dealing going on, prostitution, burglary, vandalism - you name it, we had it.

"We used to get gangs of 30 or more roaming around causing trouble and boy-racers were roaring up and down in their cars.

"There were no lights outside here then and these people thought they could do what they wanted because nobody could see them."

The final straw came in 1994 when a papergirl delivering the Evening Argus at the flats was attacked and robbed. The thief got away with just 30p.

Two tenants went knocking on doors to ask their neighbours if they wanted to form a residents association to deal with the problems they faced.

Mrs Urquhart, 55, became chairman of the newly formed Downland Court Residents Association and they quickly went from strength to strength.

The first thing they did was to set up a Neighbourhood Watch scheme with the help of the police.

Stickers were put up in all the ground floor windows so troublemakers would know they were being watched.

Within a year graffiti, car crime, vandalism and burglary at the flats had been reduced.

With the help of the council and the police the drugs problem was also tackled.

Residents were asked to keep a record of incidents to use as evidence to evict anyone persistently involved in anti-social behaviour.

But they say the biggest breakthrough came in 1997, when Brighton and Hove Council agreed to install security lighting.

Mrs Urquhart said: "It all stopped virtually overnight. The lights meant people could see what was going on where it was dark before.

"Nobody is going to deal drugs or get drunk if people can see what they are doing.

"The crime rate has dropped away to almost nothing now and the police have very few incidents to deal with.

"Downland Court is not a perfect place to live, but where is?"

She has worked tirelessly with the residents association to persuade the council and other agencies to spend money on improving the flats.

In the last five years more than £500,000 has been ploughed into projects which include central heating, double glazing, security, and speed humps.

An £80,000 community centre was built to provide a social focus for the flats.

It has become so popular that it has already become too small and there are plans to raise £150,000 to enlarge it.

The money for the improvements comes from the council's Estates Development Budget and other sources, including the Scarman Trust which has helped to develop a real sense of community spirit among residents.

Portslade councillor Bob Carden praised the work of the residents in turning around their fortunes.

He said: "I get sick and tired of people running down the residents of Downland Court.

"I have spoken to the local police community beat officer who confirms they are hardly ever called there now.

"The people there are all on low incomes, but they have done a lot to help themselves.

"There used to be nothing there for them, but there is such a lot going on now and it is all down to their own hard work."