A group of Hither Green neighbours fed up with flytippers and burglars running off down alleyways at the back of their properties have joined forces and installed security gates to keep them out.

The gates have been installed this month between Further Green Road, South Park Crescent and Verdant Lane.

In recent years, neighbours spotted an upsurge in crime and disorder on their roads and became concerned they might lose the area's family atmosphere unless they closed the alleys off.

And support for their idea came from councillors and nearby businesses like A & E Dry Cleaners and Waterloo Plumbing. The majority of cash for the project came from neighbours, who chipped into help raise £4,900 for the project.

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Resident Jon Carr, 42, said: "The generosity of the community has been incredible.  It has been a truly great project to work on and by doing so I have got to know even more wonderful neighbours and members of the community."

Mr Carr explained: "It was just about making it a nicer community and getting the alleyways back to what it was designed for."

They were joined for the gates' very own closing ceremony by Lewisham east MP Heidi Alexander and the ward's Councillor Mark Ingleby.

Coun Ingleby said: "Working with local councillors and local businesses; they raised the majority of the funding from local residents and got five gates built in less than three months – an excellent example of collaborative community action on all sides."

The gates follow the launch of an Neighbourhood watch Association and a street party earlier this year.