A Boscombe community campaigner whose car was attacked after she spoke out about anti-social behaviour this week has vowed to carry on working to improve the area.

Julie Morley, 41, left her home in Windsor Road on Wednesday morning to find obscene slogans scratched on the sides of her car, just two days after she spoke out in an effort to stop anti-social behaviour in a nearby alley.

She believes she was targeted as the spokesman for the Windsor Road residents’ group, who are appealing to local landlords to block off the alley with a gate and prevent it being used for drug dealing and as a toilet.

“Our group has achieved a lot over the last three to six months. We have had new street lights put in, and moved the bins off the pavements, it is all working really well,” she said.

“And then something like this happens. These vandals are cowards, the kind of people who break into your property, or whack you round the back of the head in the street.

“Why don’t they come along to one of our meetings and talk to us if they have a problem, rather than this? We don’t want to kick everyone out of the area, just make it a more pleasant place to live.

“I have two little children, I just want to live here in peace.

“This is not going to stop me or the rest of the group trying to make life better for the people who live here.”

Boscombe police inspector Chris Weeks is appealing for any witnesses to get in touch by calling 101.

“We are investigating this as a case of criminal damage, such incidents won’t be tolerated in this area,” he said.

“However there aren’t any obvious lines of inquiry, so if anyone saw anything in relation to this car being vandalised can give us a call it would be helpful.”

Ms Morley, a counsellor for drugs charity EDAS, told the Echo that residents plan to clean up the alley and fill it with plants if a gate is put in.