Tenants on a housing estate in north London have been handed a new weapon in the fight against drug crime - whistles.

Hundreds of whistles have been distributed to people living on the Hill View Estate in King's Cross.

The idea is to assault the dealer with a barrage of sound in the hope they will be deterred from openly plying their trade.

King's Cross Partnership responded to a request from a local residents' group for the whistles.

Anne Rooney from the Partnership said: "The residents are trying to disrupt anti-social behaviour on the estate.

"If they see anyone who shouldn't be there they go out and blow their whistle which encourages people to leg it as it draws attention to them.

"It's a way for the residents to gain back control and of bringing the community together."

She added that the cost effective scheme has proved successful in the two to three weeks it has been running.