Residents frustrated by "brazen" drug dealing outside their homes have created a series of road signs highlighting crime in an attempt to shame police into action.

Guerrilla street artists have painted a parking bay marked 'drug dealers only' and installed six signs on lampposts after being commissioned by neighbours in Tower Hamlets, east London.

The anonymous group of artists, who call themselves the Columbia Road Cartel, were asked by the Weavers Community Action Group to help underline levels of drug crime around Columbia Road, near Shoreditch, east London.

The fake street signs, which were put up on Sunday, include 'Crack pick up point', 'give way to oncoming drug deals', 'needle free zone' and parking bays labelled 'drug dealers only.'

The artwork was was produced in response to an apparent lack of action taken by police over drug dealing, which is said to take place at all hours of the day.

Drug related signs were put up by a group of artists credit: Triangle News/Weavers Community Action Group

Local resident Penny Creed, who shared the images, tweeted: "Local street artists trying to embarrass the @metpoliceuk and @TowerHamletsNow into doing something about the brazen drug dealing in my neighbourhood #columbiaroad #asb".

Resident Jonathan Moberly said: "One corner of our street is used as a drug collection point 24 hours a day.

"Heroin and crack addicts gather in small groups waiting for deliveries which arrive by speeding car.

"It is barely possible to avoid walking around or through these gatherings when leaving or returning home.

"Six months ago my stepson Jake was victim of a hit-and-run by one of the dealers.

"His ankle was badly smashed and he is still unable to return to work. The authorities seem to be powerless or uninterested to act."

An anonymous group of artists working in an east London neighbourhood installed the space to draw attention to the topic credit: Weavers Community Action Group/Triangle News

Another resident, who did not give their name, said: "I have to change the way I walk home from work as there are so many picking up drugs at 7.30pm. Where I work they sleep outside every night in Florida Street, we have to have the needles picked up each day."

The Weavers Community Action Group, based in Weavers ward in Tower Hamlets, claims to have around 70 members in the area.

According to the Evening Standard, the group was formed in April this year in response to “open trading in hard and dangerous drugs” which it claims have become “a normal part of daily life” around Columbia Road.

A Tower Hamlets spokesperson said: "Like the rest of London, Tower Hamlets suffers from some blatant drug dealing at times.

"We understand the frustration of these residents, which is why the council has invested £3 million in additional police officers to make up some of the shortfall in government cuts to the police.

"We are also working with the police on Operation Continuum, which targets drug dealers and offers support to those affected by it. So far, 160 people have been arrested as the operation works its way around the borough."

Metropolitan Police Crime Data indicates that the number of arrests in Tower Hamlets has dropped since July 2013, with 3,011 arrests between July 2013-2014, compared to 1,842 arrests between July 2017-2018.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "We have been made aware of a Guerilla art campaign which has appeared in and around Columbia Road, Tower Hamlets, against drug-dealing in the area.

"Officers in Tower Hamlets are working hard to tackle drugs offences to make the streets hostile territory for criminals.

"Local officers are fully engaged with partners and have a rolling programme of enforcement activities that target those identified as selling drugs.

"The Tower Hamlets partnership task force routinely perform anti-drug use/supply patrols and respond to intelligence received.

"Local officers respond and will patrol areas identified through intelligence that suggests illegal drug use or supply activity and will also regularly undertake the execution of search warrants using drug related legislation that seeks to place offenders before the courts."