A plant pot was reportedly smashed as anti-social behaviour returned to a housing estate which has been plagued by troublemakers, prompting extra police patrols.

Residents of Garrick Way and Castle Court, Ipswich, where there is a lot of sheltered housing, endured a torrent of crime from people being violent and even setting fire to things during 2018.

A public meeting in September attended by more than 100 people and a subsequent police crackdown appeared to resolve the problem, with community protection written warnings served to the parents of two youths and several officer patrols taking place in the week afterwards.

But problems returned with reports of two to three incidents a night from vandals, who were said to be shouting verbal abuse and vandalising property - prompting neighbours to write to Suffolk police chief constable Gareth Wilson telling him to “deal with it!”A 14-year-old girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admitted a string of offences at Ipswich youth court on Thursday, January 10, which included carving an expletive and an initial into the wall and window of the Garrick Way Co-op, as well as being abusive towards residents.She also threw a plant pot at the window of one property, damaging an air vent worth £25.She was imposed with a 12-month supervised youth rehabilitation order, including an exclusion from Garrick Way and a three-month electronic home curfew.

She must also pay a total of £75 in compensation for the criminal damage caused.

However in a separate incident, shortly before 12.20am on Friday, January 11 police said they were called “following reports of a smashed plant pot being found in Castle Court, Garrick Way, Ipswich”.

A spokesman for Suffolk Constabulary added: “It is believed the incident occurred at some point between 3pm on Thursday, January 10 and 12.15am on Friday, January 11.

“Officers are currently investigating this incident.

“Extra patrols were carried out in this area by the safer neighbourhood team on Friday.

“Any witnesses can call Suffolk police on 101 quoting crime reference 37/2078/19.”

Anyone who witnesses anti-social behaviour should call Suffolk police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.