Fed up residents of Government's Fenton's Drive Development started their own Operation Cleansweep yesterday and began a neighbourhood clean-up.

And while a protected Bermuda cedar tree was almost completely chopped down, the group -- mostly women -- said their living conditions were vastly improved.

Neighbourhood youths had long congregated in the area and left litter, debris and graffiti -- some of it on church property.

"We were tired of it,'' Kelzine Butterfield said of the tree overgrowth on Curving Avenue, Pembroke, next to St. Augustine's Church.

Ms Butterfield, Connie Trott, Kianne Trott, and Karen Stevens began cutting trees that overhung a walkway on Housing Corporation property at 8 a.m.

A member of the Government Housing Tennant's Association, Ms Butterfield said Robert Clifford of the BHC told her residents could clean litter and debris from within the hedge.

Ms Butterfield said: "We had told them what we wanted to do. They told us that if we cleaned it, they would cut them back afterward. But that wasn't working.'' The work soon turned to chopping the trees to clear the trash as other residents, including men, joined in.

As work continued, residents tackled other large trees bordering church property and a walkway to the development from Curving Avenue.

Police had been called by mid-afternoon for protection as neighbourhood youths began to express their displeasure at seeing their hangout being destroyed.

More Police arrived after someone reported the damaged cedar tree.

By 4 p.m. several Police officers were observing the scene and treating children to tours of the two Police Task Force trucks.

"We are willing to pay the price of cutting the tree, but you should have seen the trash down there among the roots,'' Ms Butterfield said.

"Cutting back the trees is Government's responsibility. We pay maintenance but you can see they were not cutting the trees.'' Other residents agreed and said they thought the BHC was not aware of how the property looked.

"They only cut the grass,'' one woman said. "And they don't do that properly and they don't cut the trees.'' She added: "That's the kind of thing why we do not want to pay Land Tax. This is our own Cleansweep.'' Although no drug paraphernalia was found, dozens of beer and soda bottles were bagged for recycling.

Residents said one youth became agitated and others joined him and hurled abuse at the workers but apparently the Police presence worked.

A Police spokeswoman said Police were originally called to keep the peace and the cedar tree cutting incident is under investigation.

HOUSING HSG