Eighteen months ago, elderly people in flats at Sea Mills told the Bristol Evening Post how yobs were making their lives hell.

Not any more. Bristol City Council, the police and the other agencies responsible for controlling anti-social behaviour and the residents themselves have turned things round.

Even the Post comes in for plaudits as retired teacher Ann Green, 70, of Silklands Grove, explains how much her life has changed for the better.

"It often seems that Bristol City Council receives more brickbats than bouquets," Mrs Green said.

"I would like to thank the council officers and local councillors Judith Price and John Bees, who have been so conscientious in improving the environment and quality of life in the Coombe Dale-Silklands Grove area.

"The improvement has been largely due to the partnership between the Sea Mills Area Residents' Team (Smart) and the council and, of course, the Bristol Evening Post, who first highlighted the vandalism and anti- social behaviour."

In early 2007, two cars owned by Mrs Green were destroyed by vandals. Other residents were targeted by car thieves.

Vandalised vehicles had also been dumped in Silklands Grove.

There were three arson attacks on the wooden fencing which surrounded the council flats there.

"That allowed the drug dealers and the hooligans to enter the grounds of the flats and run amok, setting fire to dustbins and intimidating the residents," said Mrs Green.

But now an "indestructible" metal fence has been erected around the flats and the garden, with an electronically controlled security gate.

Mrs Green said: "None of this would have happened without the work of the Smart group".

The group is led by council officers and works with local councillors, the police and other community agencies, to create "an environment where anti- social behaviour is regarded as unacceptable".

Mrs Green praised Smart group chair senior community safety officer Cheryl Coles for "making it all happen.

She also praised council officer Alan Cox, who made sure graffiti and waste items were regularly cleared away, and parks officer Gary Brentall, who restored the trees and shrubs after the new fence was put up.

"Police Community Support Officer Tessa Pritchard has also been fantastic in clamping down on quad bikes, ferret fighting and other extreme anti-social behaviour we had been getting here in Sea Mills," said Mrs Green.