MOTHERS and fathers on what they say is a close-knit estate in Cinderford have hit back at letters claiming their children are like "packs of animals" and that parents "are just as bad, swearing and abusing other people's children".

Insult was added to injury with suggestions that gipsies should be dumped on the estate if it was that bad.

A large group of parents from the Millers Way Estate have now spoken out. Speaking to the Review (where the letters were first published) they said: "This estate is quite close-knit, there's only about 24 houses in all and most of us moved here when it was quite new and all we wanted was a quiet place to bring up our children. A lot of people think we're all on benefit, we're not. A lot of us work and we all help each other out. It was a difficult place a few years back, but it's got a lot better in the last couple of years."

Joanne Burrows, speaking for the whole group, said many children coming into the area are from outside the estate, while particular tenants, some living in flats at the bottom of the estate are regularly involved in drug dealing.

She said: "Particular houses are making our lives a living hell, but no matter how many times they're reported, nothing happens."

The mother's all spoke as one: "You can stand at our bedroom windows looking over the park and watch them dealing drugs at any time – day or night. Dealers just walking around a children's playground. Drugs, stolen goods, you name it, they're dealing it. We report it to our housing association, Wyedean, and the police and what happens, they don't want to know, nothing happens. They just tell us to log it. How many times can you log the same thing?

"The amount of glass and needles in the playground is unbelievable, and what have we been given, litter pickers and boxes to pick up the needles. Nobody is doing anything for us and we're left to sort it out for ourselves. We need to be recognised for what we are and what we're doing. Most of us work hard, we get together, look after each other's kids and are in and out of each other's houses all the time. It's not a bad estate, with a bit of support for us it could be a lot better."

• Neil Pascoe, Chief Executive of Wydean Housing responds to concerns about Millers Way in next week's issue.