Middlesbrough crack den 'so busy it had two queues' shut down

In November, Cleveland Police logged 19 occasions when crack was thought to have been dealt at the house

A crack den which was so busy that a queue for waiting customers had to be split in two has been shut down.

Up to 15 people were seen lining up outside the terraced house in Percy Street, Middlesbrough, the town council said.

The property has now been boarded up after a court order was obtained.

In November, Cleveland Police logged 19 occasions when crack cocaine was suspected to have been dealt at the house.

When police raided the property the same month, they found bags of the drug prepared for sale and the tenant was arrested.

Newport ward councillor Chris Cooke said: "At its height I saw this property have to organise a second queue from the alley gate as they had too many customers."

Mayor of Middlesbrough Andy Preston said: "No-one should have to put up with this sort of appalling, anti-social behaviour, and these operations are sending out a clear message that we won't stand for it.

"We can only do this with invaluable information from local people and great partnership working - and that's making a real difference to the lives of ordinary, law-abiding people."