David and Heather Owen, who live in Turnpike Crescent, Picket Twenty, say health experts have asked Test Valley Borough Council to make re-locating their family a “pressing importance” after they suffered “aggressive and violent” threats

David and Heather Owen, who live in Turnpike Crescent, Picket Twenty, say health experts have asked Test Valley Borough Council to make re-locating their family a “pressing importance” after they suffered “aggressive and violent” threats.

The family say the situation is exacerbating the condition of their two daughters, Amy 13, and Kayleigh, eight, who both suffer from potentially life-threatening epilepsy.

They claim the situation has got so desperate that Amy regularly sleeps at her grandmother’s house to combat her anxiety – a situation doctors have labelled in a letter to TVBC as “very unsatisfactory”.

Dr Morag MacDougall, of Adelaide Medical Centre, wrote to the authority in March addressing the situation.

In the letter she said: “The family are under immense stress due to aggressive and violent threats.

“Amy now sleeps at her maternal grandmothers on a regular basis so that she does not experience the verbal threats.

“Unfortunately this is a very unsatisfactory solution because being separated from her parents is also a source of significant anxiety.

“I understand her younger sibling Kayleigh is under the psychology services and is felt to have been first experience we have ever had like this and I wouldn’t wish it upon anybody.

“It’s torture really – we just want to get out.

“The situation with Kayleigh stuck here is that the stress causes her to have seizures.

“Not being in a stable situation is traumatised by this very threatening environment.”

Dr MacDougall concluded: “I feel re-housing the family is a matter of pressing importance and I would be grateful if you were able to facilitate it.”

The pair, who are both full time carers to their four children, say they have been attempting to get a new four bedroom property through the housing register for over a year.

However despite recently being moved up to “Band Two” of the council’s priority ladder they have yet to find a new home.

Meanwhile they claim they have tried to work with authorities such as Hampshire Police and their housing association, Sovereign, to combat the anti-social behaviour but have also had little success.

Mr Owen, 34, said: “This is the hard for them.

“We’ve even had to move Amy out of the house at nights and her not being here isn’t helping the situation at all.

“It just adds to the anxiety because we get upset and she sees us upset and gets more upset – it’s a vicious cycle.”

The family say they have suffered with the anti-social behaviour for over a year and in that time claim they have even had threats of petrol bombs.

Mr Owen, who was previously a trained tyre mechanic before giving up work to become a carer, believes his family are being singled out as neither him or his wife of 14 years have jobs.

He also claims that both the police and Sovereign have failed to take their plight seriously enough.

He said: “No-one seems to be listening to us. The police have been round but they haven’t taken any action.

“We’ve only just been moved up to band two on the housing register for medical reasons but we are struggling to find a four bedroom house all on one level.

“I just feel until we get into a new stable house we aren’t going to be able to get to the bottom of the girls’ seizures.”

Chief Inspector Kory Thorne, district commander for Test Valley, said: “We take all reports of anti-social behaviour seriously, and where evidence is available, we will take action.

“Having reviewed the matter, we are satisfied there is no overriding problem with anti-social behaviour in the Turnpike Crescent area of Andover. The incidents that have been reported to us have been either been filed in accordance with the wishes of those making the complaint, or been investigated appropriately.

“We recognise that antisocial behaviour can cause great distress to those involved and we are committed taking action when it is appropriate to do so.”

A spokesperson for Sovereign said the house association were unable to comment on individual cases.

But in a statement a spokesperson said: “We’re sorry to hear about the anti-social behaviour experienced by residents of one of our homes, as we do work with residents and our local partners to support safe communities.

“For serious cases of anti-social behaviour we’d always suggest contacting the police first. Should it be appropriate, we can then take enforcement action based on their investigation such as applying to the courts for injunctions.

“But often these disputes can be resolved so we also offer support and advice to both parties, including a mediation service. We’ve previously spoken with the residents and we’d be happy to work with them to try and reach an amicable outcome as soon as possible.”

TVBC portfolio holder for housing and environmental health, councillor Sandra Hawke, said: “Unfortunately there is a limited supply four bedroom properties, but we shall continue to work with the family to try to identify a suitable property as quickly as possible.”

Since the article was published in last Friday's paper, residents have contacted the Advertiser to defend their community.

One residents denied that there had been any issues with anti-social behaviour.

Another described the area as 'the nicest place they have ever lived' and praised the community spirit in Picket Twenty.