West Suffolk Council has revealed it is working with police and housing associations across the region to tackle issues surrounding drug dealing in Bury St Edmunds.

Concerns have been raised by members of the public surrounding the possibility of illegal activity taking place on the Howard Estate, Ridley Road area and at Bury St Edmunds Cemetery.

West Suffolk Council cabinet member for families and communities councillor Robert Everitt represents the Minden Ward, which covers Ridley Road.

Mr Everitt said: "While we cannot go into details of a specific address and the police are the lead authority for tackling drug dealing which is a crime, we recognise that the associated drug-fuelled anti-social behaviour has a knock-on effect to the lives of residents.

"We are working with police and housing associations across west Suffolk to address these issues as best we can."

These concerns follow a message from national charity Refocus in mid-August who said widespread financial hardship is potentially making it easier for gangs to recruit.

Earlier this year, Suffolk's police and crime commissioner Tim Passmore also said he was concerned about a potential cause and effect relationship between crime and the rise in the cost of living.

A Suffolk Police spokesman said: "It is only by partnership working that the root causes and the long-term effects of drug crime will be addressed.

"We conduct regular proactive operations responding to offences linked to illegal drug activity - we want to ensure the county remains a hostile environment for those involved in the supply of drugs.

"We will continue to pursue, disrupt and arrest those people bringing criminality or anti-social behaviour, as well as constantly gathering intelligence that members of the public provide and for which we are grateful for. Our local communities have an important role to play helping us."

If you know of suspicious activity taking place in your area, report it to your local Safer Neighbourhood Team, report online via the Suffolk Police website, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or phone 101.