A suburb which was once the haunt of yobs, junkies and drunks is undergoing a transformation.

The Clarendon area of Hove once had the unenviable reputation of being a haven for drugs dealers. They lurked around the communal hallways of flats in the Clarendon Road and Conway Street areas.

People living in the flats, many of them elderly or disabled, feared leaving their homes at night in case they were attacked.

However, things have been changing over the past three years as a result of a joint initiative between police, residents and Brighton and Hove City Council.

The Clarendon Local Action Team (Clat) was set up in 2004 to co-ordinate efforts to clean up the area.

Successes have included new lifts and a secure door entry system for the tower blocks to improve security.

Surveillance cameras were also put up around Conway Court to combat drug crime and antisocial behaviour.

The latest initiative started on Monday when abandoned and burnt-out cars were removed from around Gamleys warehouse in Ellen Street and Conway Street.

Police community support officer Sarah Erdman said: "About six cars had been abandoned on the pavement next to the warehouse. They were just dumped and some of them had been set on fire."

The cars have been removed and 80 poles will be set into the ground to stop cars being dumped on the pavement again.

Officer Erdman said: "The cameras and new secure entry system at the flats have also improved things for local residents.

"There were problems with drugs, street drinking and yobs hanging around which are now improving."

Ward councillor Simon Battle said: "The work at Gamleys is the end of a ten-year battle for me so I am very pleased."

He said problems arose because there was ambiguity over who owned the land.

He said: "It is only part of the overall picture of improvements for the area. We have an action plan which includes things like tackling antisocial behaviour, working with young people and combating things like abandoned cars and fly-tipping.

"We are also looking at greening the area south of Hove station, by planting trees and shrubs.

"Youth work involving groups of young people who gather on the streets is taking place. Neighbourhood watch schemes are also being set up by tenants on the estate."

There are also plans to spend £49,000 on environmental improvements at the Deacon Labs site in Conway Street, where there will be a mixed development of homes and industrial units.

The company will give the money to be spent on tree planting and landscaping.

Sergeant David Bettis, action team co-ordinator, said: "The action team and its partners have done a lot of good work in the area. It has helped to reduce the fear of crime for people living there and to make it a more pleasant place to live."