BELLIS Street is the kind of place to bring up children.

Carefully-tended flower beds cover every nook, neighbours stop to say hello and there’s not a scrap of litter to be seen.

Fifteen years ago it was a different story.

Police officer Sherry Lee said: “It was a den of iniquity. I can remember chasing criminals through this estate. I walk around now and I can’t believe it’s the same place.”

Like Balsall Heath, the Edgbaston estate was plagued by pimps and drug dealers until a group of residents decided enough was enough and the Birmingham South West pressure group was formed.

Chairman Chris Hoare, aged 66, said: “Everything that was bad we had. The streets were littered with syringes and condoms.”

They started by installing white lighting. Then they paid for a council anti-social behaviour and housing officer to move in with police at Ladywood Police Station.

“For the first time they were all under one roof,” said Chris. “So when the prostitutes got arrested, straightaway they got the help they needed. We didn’t just want to drive them out. Those girls were victims, too.”