Silla Carron
People living in Camden's notorious Clarence Way estate were too frightened to act
against the junkies and the gangs operating near their homes.
But when Silla saw an addict injecting heroin into his groin as she walked her four-year-old
grand-daughter to school six years ago she snapped and nothing was going to stop
her take action against them.
Silla single-handedly reclaimed the north London community from the addicts dealers
prostitutes and violent yobs.
But she also welcomed the younger trouble-makers into her home to re-educate them.
By making a stand, Silla was targeted by gangs, who intimidated her and even threatened
her with murder.
The grandmother had excrement thrown at her door but tackled drug addicts on the
estate by throwing a bucket of cold water over them.
"I have had someone push me a couple of times", says Silla, 58. "Once a drug addict
told me he wanted to kill me and I just told him to get in line.
"I was just tired of hearing people say, It's nothing to do with me'. Someone has
to do something or things don't change."
Silla, who suffers from Crohns disease and has a pelvis injury
from an accident many years ago, was threatened constantly by thugs.
An anonymous note pushed through her door threatened that a gang member would "come
over at night to finish her off".
But Silla was not to be turned. She videoed drug addicts injecting themselves and
gave evidence in court. She was responsible for securing dozens of ASBOs on unruly
yobs and still represents her neighbours in court to clamp down on criminal or anti-social
behaviour.
Despite the terrible abuse she suffered she has welcomed more than
30 youths into her home where they have been given discipline and stability - and
she has earned their respect.
As someone who used to be rebellious herself, she says: "I know how to handle them!"
"Usually I take in kids whose parents can't cope with them anymore. I give these
kids a few rules and after a while they learn to behave better," she explains.
Silla also started a tenants' group which has received grants of more than £5
million. The estate has been transformed with features including a crazy golf course
and a five-a-side football pitch.
Her daughter Vicki, 36, can remember how nobody wanted to live on the estate before
her mum took a stand. Now people choose to live there because Silla has turned it
around.
She says: "I don't know how she does it really. She's such a little thing but she's not intimidated by anyone."
Silla works closely with Camden Council and the Metropolitan Police - who rely on her advice and opinions and have praised her for how she gets others involved.