RISING drug use and antisocial behaviour is making the elderly feel increasingly vulnerable in Marlborough, according to town councillors.

Police were called out 11 times to drug-related incidents in May and June, a sharp increase from just one call out between January and April.

Priory Gardens, Coopers Meadow and the recreation ground have all been highlighted as hotspots for drug use by town councillors who quizzed police and crime commissioner Angus Macpherson on Monday night over the town’s lack of officers on the ground.

Broken glass littering the park areas have been blamed on an increase in drugs being used in the spaces.

Lisa Farrell said: “Anti-social behaviour in priory gardens, Coopers Meadow and now the rec is getting worse and no one is doing anything about it. There is a corridor of drugs coming into the town and now people know that the police won’t do anything about it – it is going to get worse.

“If you called up in Swindon the police would come out but if you phone up 101 in Marlborough you have to pay 15p a minute and no-one comes out. People have had enough.”

“The main issue for people in the town is lack of police on patrol. This is having a knock on effect with antisocial behaviour which is causing the elderly to feel vulnerable.

“It is heart breaking for the police on the street who don’t have the wages and are trying their best, yet Mr Macpherson was on £70k in 2012.”

The crime commissioner urged residents to report all crimes to the force. And he confirmed that the town’s police station is set to be replaced by a ‘touchdown point’ at former children’s centre The Corner House on George Lane. Its main use will be a place for police to rest. It will be manned by a receptionist and be open part time. The station closure will save the equivalent of three police officers but £90k saving would not be spent on policing in Marlborough but go to a central funding pot for the county.

Mr Macpherson said: “The current station no longer met the operational needs of the force and is too big for the policing requirements of the town. The vast bulk of the site is used for specialist services which we are looking to move to Swindon’s Gablecross police station.”

Figures released by the ONS revealed a 30 per cent rise in robberies in Wiltshire over the past 12 months.

Cllr Harry Forbes said: “People feel Marlborough is not being given the level of service it should by the police, but we are all behind the officers who are doing a sterling job. According to the police things such as hare coursing are a top priority and although I don’t agree with hare coursing, I don’t think it is as important at a time when we have a problem with anti-social behaviour and robberies are up a third on last year.”

Deputy Mayor Mervyn Hall said: “They assured us that where crimes were being reported they were putting resources into those areas. However an issues was raised with people not bothering to report crime so people are being encouraged to report everything because of no one reports it, the police do not know the crimes are taking place.”