A home in a quiet residential street has been boarded up by police after complaints it was being run as a drugs den.

Neighbours claimed the three-bedroom terraced house in Saxon Close, East Preston, near Littlehampton, was being used to deal drugs day and night.

Last night the house was boarded up and Jo Makriel, the tenant, was banned from entering the property.

People living nearby said their lives had been made a misery by the incessant anti-social behaviour at the house, including loud music through the night, large numbers of people coming and going, and visitors driving at high speed down the formerly quiet cul-de-sac.

One neighbour, who asked not be named, said: "It was horrendous. It was making us quite ill. This is my home. My work is stressful enough. I hated coming home. It felt like a prison."

He said objects had been thrown through windows, fences were pulled down, holes had been smashed in doors and cars were regularly dumped.

He said: "It was crazy. The loud music started from 10pm right through to 4am. There were comings and goings, with lots of vehicles through the night. They are not the sort of people you would like to go and talk to."

He said many people had been too frightened to complain.

Police and Arun District Council officers served a closure notice on Ms Makriel yesterday, and arrived in Saxon Close soon afterwards to secure the property.

Ms Makriel told Chichester Magistrates' Court she would attend the hearing on the application for the closure notice but failed to turn up. The house was closed under the Antisocial Behaviour Act 2003.

Chief Inspector Brian Bracher, of Sussex Police, said: "This action has been taken as we are aware that the community has suffered from the continued antisocial behaviour linked to drugs offences at this property."

The inside of the house was dishevelled with sparse furniture and in a state of neglect.

Ms Makriel moved in in August 2004 with her then partner but became the sole tenant.

In March this year, neighbours complained to the letting agent about the antisocial behaviour and a Section 21 order was made giving her 60 days to leave but she failed to comply.

Chris Jukes, 42, a childminder, who lives across the road with her husband and two daughters, said: "We heard loud music night and day. There were arguments and volatile behaviour. There were numerous people coming and going.

"Numerous vehicles were driving at speed and revving up their engines.

"We bought this house because it's at the end of a close and only people who live here should come down."

However, Sue Fraser, who lives next door to Ms Makriel, defended her neighbour. She said: "She is a nice girl. I never felt intimidated by her."

Councillor Roger Elkins, Arun's cabinet member for community safety, said: "We are not prepared to tolerate antisocial behaviour and alleged drug dealing in our community."

Mr Bracher said he wanted to reassure communities that police would take action against "the blight that drugs can have within a community" and "to advise landlords of the need to take their obligations to the local community seriously".