Doormen are being employed at a family social club in a desperate bid to get rid of a violent drugs gang.

The move is a drastic last attempt to rid the Blackbird Leys Social Club in Oxford of a problem which has kept many of the estate's families away.

And the new manager of the centre has hit back at complaints that the doormen look too intimidating by revealing the devastation that up to 30 suspected drug-users have caused.

They include:

* A terrifying gang feud which led to one mob throwing fireworks into a pool room because members of another gang were inside

* Other customers and staff being physically and verbally assaulted after trying to put a stop to drug-taking

* A pool table and windows smashed and chairs booted round a bar room

* Youths openly smoking crack-cocaine pipes and other drugs in front of staff and other customers - and leaving syringes in the toilets. New manager Wendy Tyler, employed by the Albion Pubs brewery, has already had numerous threats and intimidation in her first three weeks. Door staff, taken on at the end of last week, have already come under physical attack after refusing entry to suspected trouble-makers.

The move comes hot on the heels of revelations that a mother and son are now living in fear of their lives after helping police arrest two of Britain's most wanted crack-cocaine dealers on the estate.

Ms Tyler is adamant that the club's new strategy is already proving successful.

She said: "On Sunday night, we had about 150 people in our family room and that's nearly double the number we had on the previous Sunday."

Head doorman Ken Hargreaves said: "We have had complaints that having door staff looks too intimidating but our answer to that is we want it to be a proper community centre.

"What we would say is wouldn't you rather have us here allowing families to have a relaxing time instead of having your children around drug dealers?"

He added: "It will take time but we hope to a have a lower-profile presence in the future. We're already getting people back and, in the long-term, we hope for many more."

Story date: Tuesday 16 November

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.