A man was seen riding a moped inside a Co-op store on the Willows estate in Grimsby, an act residents say is typical of the area. Longtime residents express frustration over the estate's decline and ongoing issues with youth crime.
Key points
A man rode a moped inside a Co-op store.
Residents are accustomed to such behavior on the Willows estate.
There are ongoing issues with youth crime, including motorbike theft.
Longtime residents express concern over the estate's decline.
It is the middle of the day and as shoppers buy their groceries a man rides a moped inside a Co-op store.
As he emerges through the doorway into the precinct outside, his friends laugh.
One resident says they are not surprised. On the Willows estate, in Grimsby, it is the sort of behaviour they have come to expect.
Some have had enough. Lynn Brittain, who has lived here for 57 years, says the estate is "deteriorating" and it breaks her heart.
She points towards a tired-looking children's play area.
"You see that swing over there?" she asks. "The community paid to have that replaced. All the money that's coming into our town for youth services, yet the community had to fund a swing."
Lynn believes the lack of facilities for young people on the estate is leading to anti-social behaviour (ASB) and it does not take long to see signs of it.
We spent several weeks on the Willows, speaking to people about their experiences. Some were too afraid to give their names.
In the shopping precinct, the glass door of the convenience store is shattered. Inside, the manager declines to be interviewed, but a woman who asks to remain anonymous tells us the store is targeted by shoplifters regularly.
A few streets away, the first-floor window of a flat has been smashed. Shards of glass cover the grass below. We are told a brick was thrown at it.
We come across the burnt-out remains of a car. We are told it was ablaze at 07:30 on a Saturday morning, close to homes.
Nearby, another vehicle has had its windows smashed. A resident says youngsters have been vandalising the car over a number of evenings.
Ryan has lived on the Willows estate for five years and says it does not "feel like it's safe any more".
"Property gets destroyed, windows get put through, egged.
"Sometimes they'll use their scooters to kick mud up at the windows."
Ryan adds: "Whenever I go to the shop, they go past me on their e-scooters and they'll kick mud up at me.
"People don't really say anything because they don't want anything to happen to their home."
A reluctance to report is reflected in a 2025 survey for the Humberside Police and Crime Plan, which found 58% of residents who experienced ASB "did not go on to report this to any other agency".
The results of a Freedom of Information request show that, between 2023 and 2026, Humberside Police logged only one incident of ASB on the Willows.
North East Lincolnshire Council says recorded rates of ASB in the ward "are low" when compared with other parts of the area, but recognises "some people will be apprehensive about reporting".
Q&A
What incident occurred at the Co-op store on the Willows estate?
A man was spotted riding a moped inside the Co-op store, which residents found unsurprising.
How do residents feel about the behavior on the Willows estate?
Residents are not surprised by such behavior and express concern over the estate's deterioration.
What issues have residents reported regarding youth crime in Grimsby?
Residents have reported youths stealing motorbikes and boasting about it online.
Who is Lynn Brittain and what does she say about the estate?
Lynn Brittain is a longtime resident who has lived on the estate for 57 years and describes it as 'deteriorating.'
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It is a problem acknowledged by Melanie Onn, the Labour MP for Great Grimsby, who describes the lack of reporting as a "huge issue".
She agrees the Willows does not "get as much attention as it deserves".
Speaking in response to the BBC's investigation into motorbike crime, Onn says she will be requesting a meeting with the chief constable of Humberside Police.
Lynn says she has watched her beloved estate decline over a number of years.
"Our youth club's gone. Our swimming pool's gone. Our theatre's gone. Our library's gone. What have we got? Nothing.
"There is money being poured into the town," she adds. "Unfortunately, we get none of it."
Investment has been made to reduce anti-social behaviour in Grimsby and improve youth facilities over the past four years.
In February, the £13.5m Horizon youth zone opened in the town centre, about 2.5 miles (4km) from the Willows. It is open to young people aged between eight and 19, and costs £5 for an annual membership and 50p a visit. Members can travel there by bus for £1.
On 23 May, a £2.8m youth building is due to open at Centre4 on the Nunsthorpe estate, about 3 miles from the Willows.
Other youth facilities include a hub on Osborne Street in the town centre, which benefited from a £330,000 investment in 2023.
In the same year, the Fusion Centre Gym, about 3.5 miles from the Willows, was awarded £1.5m from a government fund.
The office of the Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner, which runs a community safety fund for projects aimed at cutting crime and ASB, says there are "no specific" programmes on the Willows estate, but it has previously supported the Generations Church to provide fencing to secure its property.
North East Lincolnshire Council says it will "welcome approaches" from people on the Willows to "explore grant-funding opportunities".
Lynn says residents have been "shouting from the rooftops" about the need for better facilities.
"We are not being heard, but the children aren't being heard either," she adds.
As the local school finishes for the day, scores of youngsters fill the shopping precinct. They are keen to tell us what they would like to see improve.
"We really need more stuff to do," says one boy, whose carer asks that he remain anonymous. "Like a centre where we can do football or darts."
Another, whose identity we are not revealing, adds: "I want to see a skate park or a pump track or a dirt track – more that the kids can do and enjoy."
At the centre of the Willows estate is the Bishop King Community Centre, which Pat, who has lived on the estate for 59 years, says is "funded mainly by fundraising".
She is among residents who gather here once a week to catch up on the gossip over tea and toast. They tell of the pride they have for their community, but also of its decline.
"It's just so deteriorated," says Pat. "We're just the forgotten community. That's how it feels."
As Lynn hands out the teas and coffees, she points out how useful the community centre could be.
"We've got the building, the facilities," she says. "But we've got no youth clubs, no youth workers, no money to run anything.
" We are stuck in a rut. The ladder's been pulled from underneath us and we've got no way of climbing out unless somebody comes to our rescue."
Insp Alisha Dixon, of the neighbourhood policing team, says anti-social behaviour "will not be tolerated" and the force is carrying out "high-visibility patrols, targeted days of action and proactive work".
Officers "engage directly with residents" and "provide crime prevention advice", she adds.
"The information we receive from the public is vital and every report matters. Without it, we are unable to build an accurate picture, identify patterns of offending and take the most effective action."
Lincolnshire Co-op did not comment about the moped incident, but a spokesperson says it has "various security measures in place", including body cams, personal alarms, CCTV and, in some locations, security guards, to "ensure the safety of colleagues".
