Police have had a 'fantastic' response to a plea for help in tackling the drug trade in Norfolk as they warn escalating violence could spill out into the community.

Norfolk police launched Operation Gravity in December in response to a series of serious incidents in Norwich and Great Yarmouth linked to the drug trade.

And T/Chief Supt Dave Marshall said the force was receiving around 18 calls every day into the control room from concerned residents, quoting the operation directly.

'We always have drugs issues and we always will, but this is different around the level of violence used, particularly towards those in debt,' he said.

'We are talking £10 or £15 – the violence used to recover that debt has been substantial, including people stabbed in the chest.'

T/Chief Supt Marshall added if the violence were left unchecked it could spill over from the drug community.

'The violence we have seen so far is very much linked to people involved in the drugs trade,' he said. 'At some point unless we tackle it there will be a case of mistaken identity or we will get an escalation and it will start impacting communities.

'The response from local people has been fantastic. We have had about 18 calls a day in to our control room since we launched quoting Operation Gravity.

'We have officers on the street being approached by members of the public with information about addresses.

'This is a significant threat to the people of Norfolk. The public are our eyes and ears and 860,000 people can make it a really hostile environment for those who want to come here and sell drugs.'

The Norwich Evening News and its sister paper the EDP have launched a campaign to encourage people to work with police in tackling the drugs gangs on our streets.

If you suspect drug dealing in your neighbourhood please contact Norfolk police on 101 or anonymously to Crimestoppers, on 0800 555111.