SHOCKED residents on a affluent residential street have spoken of their surprise at having an illegal passport factory in their midst.

Andrius Ezerskis, 25, of Sylvan Road, Snaresbrook, and Lithuanian-born Giedrus Domkus, 34, of South Woodford, were jailed for a total of seven-and-a-half years for making supplying false identity documents.

Operating from a flat in Whitehall Lodge, Bentley Way, South Woodford, the men produced thousands of fake articles using a host of high-tech equipment.

One Whitehall Lodge resident who wished not to be named said: "I think it just goes to show you don't know you're neighbours these days.

"I used to know everybody's name on every floor but now they just come and go. It's a problems as you don't know who's supposed to be in the building or anything but I never thought they'd be a passport factory there."

Gardener David Moule, 54, has worked in the Bentley Way for eight years.

The dad-of-one said: "It doesn't really surprise me as it's everywhere at the moment.

"Even then it is a bit strange in an affluent area like this. But I remember seeing just last week at the fake DVD sellers in Chingford in the Guardian so it can happen anywhere. I've never know of any master criminals living around here before though."

Margeret Smith, 81, of Bentley Way, said that she did not see anything suspicious.

The grandmother added: "I see all types of people around here that never were before and sometimes I can be a bit frightened to go out."

The documents - which included false European identity documents, UK Driving Licences, European driving licences, utility bills and banking documents as well numerous European passports - would have been used to defraud financial institutions, the UK benefit system and businesses, and gain false identities in order to commit crime.

Andrius Ezerskis received four years in prison while Domkus received three-and-a-half years.