Metal thefts and arson attacks are problems on a Dudley housing estate due for demolition, a new report revealed today.

The estate is almost abandoned as work begins to demolish exisiting houses to make way for new homes.

Just a handful of families remain on the estate, which had been regarded as a hotspot for crime and anti-social behaviour. Dudley Council has been working with police and the fire service to compile regular reports about the estate amid fears that trouble would surge as residents moved out.

Their latest report reveals that there was an upsurge in fires on the Priory estate towards the end of November and that police had also seen an increase in the number of metal thefts.

But the report also notes that co-ordinated action between the authority and services is bringing about a positive overall effect.

The number of burglaries and attempted burglaries has fallen and the number of skip fires has also dramatically reduced.

Following an increase in the number of fires on the estate in November, police stepped up patrols.

The council also arranged for more than 50 conifer trees on the estate to be chopped down.

The trees had been a target for arsonists and their removal has dramatically reduced the number of incidents, states the report.

All three agencies worked together on a campaign with nearby and remaining Priory estate residents to ensure that any skips in the area were kept locked at all times.

This has also led to a significant reduction in the number of fires started deliberately.

The report notes there was an increase in metal thefts on the estate in the run up to Christmas but states that a police operation is now tackling the problem.

A number of roads on the estate are now completely sealed off to traffic and the bulldozers are expected to move in at Easter.

Just six homes on the estate are thought to still be occupied with all those residents scheduled to move out in the coming weeks.

The report was compiled by the directorate of adult, community and housing services at Dudley Council and has been published ahead of a meeting of the select committee on community safety and community services on Thursday.