A SECOND property in Skegness has been boarded up following a joint operation between East Lindsey District Council, Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue and Lincolnshire Police.

Last Thursday morning officers from ELDC took the step of securing 65 Castleton Boulevard to unauthorised access by boarding up the windows and supplying a key to the police and owner John Craig.

The action follows a Prohibition Notice which was served on Mr Craig by Fire and Rescue earlier in the week requiring the property to be secured after a female had to be rescued from the upper floor of the premises by fire crews, who found the property to be in serious disrepair.

A Prohibition Notice is only issued where the risk to life is considered so serious that should a fire occur, the result would likely be the loss of life.

Despite attempts by the owner to secure the property, ELDC used their powers under the Local Government Miscellaneous Provisions Act to officially board up the premises.

On a previous visit, ELDC officers had also found drugs paraphernalia, including needles, indicating it was being used as a crack house.

Environmental health officer at ELDC David Dodds explained: "We have powers under the Act to require a premises is secured to unauthorised access and to protect public health.

"If kids had got into the property or anyone else who should not be there they could have risked killing themselves or contracting an horrendous disease from the needles, so this fitted the bill on both accounts."

The address is to remain permanently closed until it is made safe by the owner to ELDC standards and if it is left open they will use their powers to re-secure it again.

Mr Dodds added: "This action only deals with the immediate danger to public health and it will be up to the owner whether he sits with a boarded up property or tries to sell it.

"Obviously having a boarded up premises on the way into Skegness isn't ideal, but it was better than running the risk of someone picking up serious disease from the needles. It was one of the worst I have come across in a long while which is why we had to act quickly."

The action follows a Closure Order made by magistrates on the Angel Guest House in Grosvenor Road, which is also owned by Mr Craig, following complaints about anti-social behaviour and drug use. The Order was recently extended for a further period of three months.