People living in the East Marsh are being urged to stand up and be counted by taking part in a week long initiative being launched on next week in the town.

Operation Impact will see a multi-agency approach to tackling problem areas across the whole of the Humberside Police force area with the initiative kicking off on Monday September 21 with seven days of intensive activity on the East Marsh area of Grimsby.

Humberside Police will work alongside North East Lincolnshire Council, Humberside Fire and Rescue Service, the local health service, the voluntary sector and most importantly the local community in a week dedicated to tackling crime and anti-social behaviour across the area.

Fly tipping, arson, drug dealing, alcohol abuse, anti-social behaviour, littering, repeat offending, licensing are among the issues to be addressed.

Assistant Chief Constable Lee Freeman said: “Operation Impact is being launched to make a long term difference to communities across the force area where there are particularly high levels of crime, disorder and anti-social activity.

“Humberside Police will work side by side with the local authorities, other emergency services and voluntary groups to help improve the quality of life for the people living there.

“Over the coming months there will be weeks of action taking place under Operation Impact across the whole of northern Lincolnshire, Hull and East Yorkshire with the very first event focussing on the East Marsh area of Grimsby.”

A special community engagement event will be held at Central Hall in Duncombe Street, Grimsby and residents are invited to attend between 9am and midday on Monday September 21 to talk to representatives from the agencies involved in Operation Impact and share their views, concerns, information and opinions on the issues causing greatest concern to them.

The information obtained from the community will help to direct the activity throughout the week and ensure that the issues affecting local people form part of the operation.

Mr Freeman said: “We want to build a much richer picture of the area so all the agencies know exactly what is happening there, who is committing offences, what the biggest concerns are, and we will then work together to ensure they are the issues we tackle.

“As organisations we all have information about the area which we are sharing but what is missing is the input from the local community and we know the people living in an area are the ones with the best knowledge about that area.”

Following on from the week of action the intention is to re-visit the area in the coming weeks and months to follow up on work that has been done so far.

It is also hoped the local community will get on board and residents will continue to work with the agencies to make the East Marsh a better place.