CALLS for ‘dramatic’ action have been made to demolish a derelict chapel that has become a hub for drug-users and children.

The privately-owned building, an old chapel, is situated on Glynne Street in Queensferry and has been vacant for about 20 years, with the owner of the property believed to be living in Australia.

With no renovation to speak of in that time, the building is falling apart and is, people living near it say, a serious health and safety hazard.

It has also become a hub for drug users and youngsters children and with the summer holidays now underway there are fears a child could be hurt.

There are slates falling off the roof and the inside the building has become even more hazardous following a large fire at the site in the last year.

Hedges surrounding the chapel are so overgrown that they are now obstructing the public footpath running past the site.

David Wisinger, county councillor for Queensferry, has been bombarded with complaints from Glynne Street residents about the site and has organised for Flintshire Council Streetscene to secure the site by fully boarding the building up in the coming days.

But he does not think that in itself is enough to deal with the issue.

“It’s been sitting there empty for about 20 years and it’s proving to be an absolute nightmare to be honest,” he said. “I am not happy about it at all.

“It’s in a worse state that it’s ever been and will only get worse until something dramatic is done.

“It needs compulsory purchasing by the council and knocking down before someone gets seriously hurt and I feel sorry for the people who live on the street and have to put up with it.”

Dawn Jones, who has lived next door to the chapel for 15 years, said: “When my son was growing up he couldn’t play outside because so many drug users were going next door.

“People are just dumping all their rubbish there, while I have to store mine away because I can’t afford for the council to come and move it.

“I have to constantly check the shed because I fear for my belongings in there with drug addicts often just next door.

“Nothing can seemingly be done from the council side, but surely if the councillors had to live outside it it’d be a different story.”