No-Go Britain: Where, what, why

Handsworth, Birmingham

Pop: 24,778

Problems: Prostitution, drugs, fire crews attacked by gangs.

Unemployment: 34.3%

Manningham, Bradford

Pop: 10,000

Problems: Drug-related crime, drunkenness. Ambulance crews intimidated.

Unemployment: 40%

Moulsecoomb Estate, Brighton

Pop: 6,932

Problems: Violence, alcoholism, drugs. In February 1992 100 police, some in riot gear, called out to tackle mob of youths.

Unemployment: 13%

Hartcliffe Estate, Bristol

Pop: 11,000

Problems: Violence, burglaries, drugs. Fire crews attacked. Unrest after two joyriders died in 1992 left 15 police injured, pounds 1m destruction and 80 arrests. 'Health indicators on the estate are more like those for a Third World country' - Paddy Ashdown.

Unemployment: 14.4%

Ely Estate, Cardiff

Pop: 30,000

Problems: Car theft, drunkenness and gangs. 58 per cent of residents say they feel unsafe outside after dark. Riots in 1991. Three youths jailed for killing Les Reed.

Unemployment: 33.7%

Raffles Estate, Carlisle

Pop: 5,800 (whole ward)

Problems: Car theft, youth gangs. Street troubles in 1992. Attempts to intimidate local police. 'If you've got a problem in Raffles, get a shotgun' - a resident.

Unemployment: 9.42% (whole ward)

Blacon Estate, Chester

Pop: 3,990 over 18

Problems: Drugs and property crime. Police officer injured recently when her patrol car was attacked by youths.

Unemployment: 15.3%

Wood End, Coventry

Pop: 3,784

Problems: Riots in 1992 after police challenged youths who were riding stolen motorbikes on the pavements. Residents set up vigilante patrols.

Unemployment: 49% for men

'Wine Alley', Govan

Pop: 10,875 (whole ward)

Problems: Mainly drug-related crime. Police enter in twos with another car on standby. They expect 20 calls a week from officers needing help. 'The Wine Alley was always traditionally a bad area'.

Unemployment: 27.97%

Grange Estate, Grimsby

Pop: 2,000

Problems: 'Officers used to be happy to go into situations on this estate on their own. Now they definitely wouldn't. They'd wait for back-up' - police officer

Unemployment: 11.6% (all Grimsby)

Greatfield Estate, Hull

Pop: 6,300

Problems: Joy-riding, attacks on police. An officer was assaulted after stopping when a brick hit his car. 'The people we arrest from these estates are a minority of individuals who don't care; committing crime is a way of life' - Mike Feszczak, Humberside police federation.

Unemployment: 18%

Orchard Park and Gypsyville Estates - Hull

Pop: Orchard Park 3,500, Gypsyville 8,600

Problems: At Orchard Park in 1993 12 councillors had to barricade themselves into an office after being attacked by youths.

Unemployment: Orchard Park 23%, Gypsyville 15%

Chapeltown, Leeds

Pop: 21,984

Problems: Prostitution, drug dealing, drug-related attacks, shootings. 'We are 300 officers under-strength in this county. While we're concentrating resources on Chapeltown we have fewer resources for other areas. It's only a matter of time before something snaps' - Roger Benn, West Yorkshire police federation

Unemployment: 18%

Braunstone Estate, Leicester

Pop: 3,980 homes

Problems: Youth gangs. Local people are afraid to go there after dark.

Unemployment: 25.7%

St Giles Estate, Lincoln

Pop: 4,700

Problems: Last June petrol bombs were thrown at police after shopkeepers were accused of passing information to the police. The shop was looted and its owners forced to flee. 'We've got officers who come up from London saying they were assaulted more here than they ever were in the Met' - John Ward, Lincolnshire police federation.

Unemployment: 14.3%

Granby Street Triangle and Netherley, Toxteth - Liverpool

Pop: Granby 13,021, Netherley 8,540

Problems: Theft, drugs, violent crime.

Unemployment: Granby 41.6%, Netherley 28.1%

Parts of Brixton, London

Pop: n/a

Problems: Drugs, guns, street robberies, violent crime.

Unemployment: 13.9%

Rushcroft Road, Brixton, London

Pop: n/a

Problems: Guns, drugs. When two policemen were shot last month, locals jeered.

Unemployment: 14.6% (whole ward)

Broadwater Farm, London

Pop: 3,000-4,000

Riots in 1985, still considered home to 'known drug dealers'. Last November two policemen attacked.

Unemployment: 23.5% (whole ward)

Brunel Estate, Paddington, London

Pop: 870

Problems: Prostitution, drug-related crime.

Unemployment: 25%

Cato Road, Clapham, London

Pop: n/a

Problems: Residents say drug dealing and intimidation is rampant. Last October PC Patrick Dunne and bouncer William Danso shot dead.

Unemployment: 14.5%

Clapham Park Estate, London

Pop: n/a

Problems: Drug-related crime. Two men from the estate killed a taxi driver in 1989 because he did not move off fast enough at traffic lights.

Unemployment: Straddles two wards with average of 8.74%

Parts of Hackney, London

Pop: n/a

Problems: Drugs, street crime. Last April 300 youths attacked police trying to break up a fight at closing time.

Unemployment: 25.5%

Redington House, Islington, London

Pop: n/a

Problems: Drug dealing, guns. A police raid on a flat last October involved 50 officers, dogs and a hydraulic battering ram.

Unemployment: 14.9%

Lancaster West Estate, Notting Hill, London

Pop: 1,300

Problems: Drug-related crime. In February 1993 a police van was fired on by gunmen, and a police car called to assist was also shot at.

Unemployment: 11%

North Peckham Estate, London

Pop: n/a

Drug-related crime, muggings. 'In the dark underground garages beneath the flats, in the corner of stairwells and in the recesses of the walkways is the rubbish of the drug culture that flourishes here: discarded needles, disused crack pipes, the left-overs and left-behinds of last night's drug- induced degradation' - Paddy Ashdown in Beyond Westminster.

Unemployment: 27.1% (whole ward)

Danebury Ave, Roehampton, London

Pop: n/a

Problems: Street crime, violence. In July 1992 a mob attacked two police officers making an arrest.

Unemployment: 15.8% (whole ward)

Aylesbury Estate, Southwark, London

Pop: 11,963 (whole ward)

Problems: Youth gangs, street crime. Police rarely patrol on foot at night. 'It's a mugger's paradise, this estate. It's not enough to barricade your front door. The kids come in through the back windows' - local caretaker.

Unemployment: 13.6%

Gloucester Grove Estate, Southwark, London

Pop: n/a

Problems: Burglary, muggings. Postmen were given police escorts.

Unemployment: 12.8% (whole ward)

Stockwell Park Estate, Lambeth, London

Pop: n/a

Problems: Drugs, violence, burglary. Last April police clashed with 200- strong mob of youths.

Unemployment: 14.55%

Stonebridge Estate, Brent, London

Pop: 2,042

Problems: Drug-related crime, burglary, violence. One street, Hillside, accounted for nearly 25 per cent of all recorded crime. In April 1992 police arresting a man were set upon by a mob including women and children.

Unemployment: about 25%

Moss Side, Manchester

Pop: 13,106

Problems: Drug-related crime, firearms offences (400 armed incidents in 12 months), ambulance crews wearing body armour following drugs-related shootings, doctors robbed of medical bags at knifepoint, police vehicles fire-bombed and ambushes attempted on patrols.

Unemployment: 28.8%

Benwell, Scotswood, Elswick - Newcastle

Pop: Benwell 9,300; Scotswood 9,031; Elswick 9,368.

Problems: Crime, arson used to intimidate witnesses, feuds between rival families involved in drug dealing.

Unemployment: Benwell 24%, Scotswood 28%; Elswick 26%

Ringland and Duffryn Estates, Newport

Pop: Ringland 5,000, Duffryn 3,000

Problems: Buses stop at 9.30pm following repeated attacks on crews.

Unemployment: n/a, but 60%-70% claiming benefits

Blackbird Leys Estate, Oxford

Pop: 11,000

Problems: Became infamous for joyriding and intimidation after 1992 incidents.

Unemployment: 14.4%

Ferguslie Park, Paisley

Pop: n/a

Problems: Drugs and firearms. Eleven murders in Paisley in the past 12 months. Worst affected is Ferguslie Park area. 'We're testing knife-resistant vests. There are young thugs out there with guns and they'll just use them' - Tom Rowatt, Strathclyde police federation.

Unemployment: 10.4%

North Prospect Estate, Plymouth

Pop: 4,719

Problems: Drug-related crime, joyriding, assaults on police.

Unemployment: 42.1%

Ordsall Estate, Salford

Pop: 7,079

Problems: Drug-related violence. In July 1992, rioters shot at police and firefighters following 18 months of trouble including arson and car theft.

Unemployment: 21% (whole ward)

Ragworth Estate, Stockton-on-Tees

Pop: 806

Problems: Firearms, youth gangs.

Unemployment: 45.1%

Pennywell Estate, Sunderland

Pop: 8,000

Problems: Last year a police officer was hit by a brick through the windscreen, thrown by youths playing 'brick a squaddie'.

Unemployment: 19%