A MOTHER who spotted drug dealers outside her house has slammed police for letting them escape.

The Weaverham resident, who did not want to be named, said she was furious about the police's lack of urgency - especially after they warned the public not to be apathetic about drugs in last week's Guardian report.

She said she called the police on Wednesday evening last week when she spotted the deal taking place.

She said a man stopped on a bike at a telephone box on the street outside her house, which she said is a known meeting place for drug dealers.

He was joined by two more men in a car, who gave the man a package and received a roll of notes in return.

The residents said: "I rang the police and explained what happened. These men were outside for nearly an hour but the police didn't arrive until they had gone.

"If that's not the public helping the police, I don't know what is. They could have found them with the money and the package."

She said this was going on day after day, in full view of children who were playing on the field nearby.

She said: "I don't know how many other members of the public are helping and getting no response. I've even told the police they could use my house for surveillance but they don't seem interested.

"Weaverham is quite a place for drugs. I've got two young children and I don't want them to see this sort of thing going on."

A spokeswoman for Cheshire Police said the incident had been given a Grade Two response because it was not a life-threatening incident.

She said: "We were at the scene within half-an-hour. We checked the area and there was nobody there."

She said patrols continued to observe the area for some time after they arrived.

She added: "The Community Action Team that covers Weaverham is not aware of anything happening in this area, but if anyone has information about this sort of incident, it will deal with it."

Anyone with information about drug dealing in Weaverham should call CAT member PC Peter White on 01244 612543.

rbabington@guardiangrp.co.uk