A house has been closed down after neighbours were subjected to months of excessive noise, rowdy and intimidating behaviour.

It is the first time new laws to prevent anti-social behaviour have been invoked in the town.

Drug dealing was also a common occurrence out of the house in Cardigan Road, near Cemetery Junction, East Reading.

The anti-social behaviour led to a Closure Notice being issued by police in conjunction with Reading Borough Council.

The notice was last Friday under anti-social behaviour laws introduced in the ASB Crime and Policing Act 2014, removing the tenants for 24 hours. An application to extent the period for three months was granted by Reading Magistrates Court on Saturday.

A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said: “It means access to the property is now restricted and the occupiers cannot enter the property for the duration of the 3 month order.

“A further application can be made to extend this period by another 3 months if needed.”

Liz Terry, Lead Councillor for Neighbourhoods said: “This is the first time that this order has been used in Reading and I hope that it will act as warning to others involved in anti-social behaviour.

“We will use all the powers available to us to ensure that our law-abiding residents are protected from people who behave badly and disrupt the peace of our neighbourhoods.”

Inspector Aziz of Thames Valley Police said: “This address was the subject of numerous complaints of anti-social behaviour and drug use.

“The local Neighbourhood Police Team executed a Drugs Warrant at this address, and following this, working closely with our partners in the Council, we have now secured respite for residents in the street by closing down this property through the courts utilising new legislation.”