FAMILIES living in Britain’s roughest street plagued by prostitutes, junkies, beggars and knife-wielding thugs refuse to be driven out.

Slade Road, in the Stockland Green suburb of Birmingham, was once a "desirable and sought after" hub.

But residents say it is now so troubled cops "turn a blind eye" to crime and even locals calmly walk past daylight stabbings.

Mo, 55, a carer for his disabled son, told The Sun: “It has rapidly gone downhill and now the crime rate is off the scale.

"The council was given a grant for £400,000 to clean up the area but it’s not working.

“There’s still beggars on the street harassing people, call girls plying their trade, druggies grabbing money from residents at the cash point, homes, cars and shops being broken into.

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“A young woman was bundled into a car and kidnapped, but thankfully was found safe."

Just a fortnight ago a knife fight, spilling into the street, was filmed and posted on social media.

The shocking footage showed locals walking past as if it was a daily occurrence.

Council CCTV cameras were installed outside Mo's house but he says they're "an absolute waste of time and money".

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He instead blames the council for putting "all sorts of people with issues" into dozens of houses of multiple occupancy, another resident alleged many of them are ex-prisoners.

But despite the daily horrors outside his front door and having spent a small fortune adapting his small semi, Mo refuses to move.

He said: "It costs a lot to move house. We survive by embracing the good people and ignoring the bad.

"You put up and shut up and go about your business as best as you can."

Further up the road, Alina Sandhu, a manager of the busy City Supermarket, admitted: “Living here is c**p!"

'CONSTANT FIGHTING'

The 24-year-old, who lives above the store in a flat-share with two young women, added: “I’ve been here for 18 months now and never feel safe, especially at night.

“Our home is right opposite a brothel, where there is always a lot of activity, and constant fighting in the street."

She told how a brazen thief came into her shop while her boss was out and stole bread and drinks, saying: “He just picked up the stuff he wanted and walked out without paying."

Alina is now so scared that she asks pals to accompany her just to pick up a takeaway.

Mark Tompkins, assistant manager of exotic Birmingham Reptiles and Pets, said the other day a thief waltzed straight in as he was serving a customer, looked at the CCTV and made off with an iPad.

“They know nine times out of 10 the police won’t even by looking at it", he admitted.

While dad-of-three Mohammed Shad, owner of Slade Mobile Internet Cafe, told The Sun from behind a protective screen: “We don’t like living here – there’s too many criminals and undesirables.”

While Post Office boss Kulwant Thethy crooks "seem to evade justice" on Slade Road.

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But one mum was less down about the area, explaining: "Everyone has got something going on in life but it doesn’t make then a bad person.

“I live in one small room in a hostel with my baby and we can hardly move. But you make do with what you’ve got."

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