A crack house in a Wealdstone became the first in the borough to be closed under the Anti-Social Behaviour Act.

Magistrates agreed to shut 1 John Lamb Court, off The Bye Way, for three months in a 20-minute civil hearing at Harrow Magistrates' Court on Thursday (22).

Entering the boarded-up property - former wardens quarters in an pensioners' housing block - during that period is now a criminal offence.

The house was subject to a temporary crack house closure order following a raid by police on May 7 that led to the arrest on suspicion of possession of cannabis of a 47-year-old man and a 43-year-old woman.

It was the duo's admission of use of drugs, made through their defence solicitor, that helped persuade the magistrates to approve a permanent closure.

Sergeant Paul Mills, of Wealdstone Safer Neighbourhood Team, who led the raid, said: "I'm happy that we've addresed the concerns of the local community.

"Ian Cartmell, Harrow Council's anti-social behaviour officer, and Susan Simon, from the council's housing department, and I all agreed to take this action and we were successful at court."

The closure was the first in the borough of Harrow, brought under powers made available to police in 2003.