THE noise of screaming women and screeching cars emanating from a neighbouring car park has made the lives of residents in an Epping sheltered housing complex a misery.

Eileen Kelly, 73, who has lived at Bakers Villas for eight years, said: "You go to sleep and then you're woken to screams and you worry about what's happening. You feel so helpless, you're uptight and it's not good for the blood pressure."

The Bakers Lane home, run by the Bakers Benevolent Society, has been plagued by the noise of car horns, car stunts, radios blaring through the night and late-night revellers pouring into the car park for the last ten years.

Residents demand action and feel the police and car park owner Epping Forest District Council have been slow to respond.

Society clerk Suzanne Pitts, who has kept records of every incident reported to police, said: "We haven't been taken seriously before, it's always a different person each time you complain or you can't get through at all so, in the end, all you do is give up."

Eleanor Barber, 75, who lived in a flat overlooking the car park for almost two years, said: "I bore the brunt of it, and when you hear a girl screaming out there you feel absolutely awful and helpless."

Mrs Barber, who has lived in Epping all her life, said Thursdays to Saturdays were the worst evenings for anti-social behaviour. "It's a frightening and alienating experience."

District Commander Chief Inspector Jon Hill described such anti-social behaviour as intolerable and promised to stamp out the problem.

He said: "A small minority of local teenagers appear to be responsible for spoiling the quality of life of local residents, other law-abiding youngsters and those who live in a nearby residential home.

"I would advise the parents of this minority of disruptive youths not to make any firm social arrangements over the next couple of weeks because we will be calling them out to assist us in our custody suites in Loughton and Harlow, when their little cherubs are arrested."

An Epping Forest District Council spokesman said the council had noted the problem and organised a meeting between police and the British Parking Association in a bid to obtain a Park Mark safer parking award to help reduce crime and fear in parking areas.

Mrs Pitts, who wants the council to install CCTV and to consider closing the car park, urged the police to be more responsive and put a stop to "menacing groups, congregating in the car park".

She said: "Through the night there's cars skidding and screeching about the place; some even end up overturned.

"All we want is some action."