THE fight against anti-social behaviour was voted the top priority by residents at a Safer Communities Conference.

The event, at Waltham Abbey Town Hall, saw a number of guest speakers including District Commander Chief Inspector Alan Ray answer questions from an audience on a range of topics.

Road safety and drug abuse were also among the issues tackled by the panel which was chaired by BBC Essex presenter Dave Monk.

Alison Cowie of NHS West Essex discussed the impact of drug and alcohol abuse on health services while John Gilbert from Epping Forest District Council and county councillor Anthony Jackson of the Essex Police Authority discussed problems with the roads.

Earlier in the day a competition was held among local schools to colour in a picture of a fire engine.

First prize went to Adam Freeman of Upshire Primary School who won a day at Waltham Abbey Fire Station for his whole class.

Organisations including the fire service, and the town and county councils put up mounted displays, and the Olympic Delivery Authority showed off a scale model of the new white water canoe facilities being built just outside Waltham Abbey.