RESIDENTS of a gangland border zone featured on a TV show where rival groups do battle have revealed that they actually love living there.
The Lozells area of Birmingham appeared on Channel 4's 60 Days on the Estate as it documented the feud between the Burger Bar Boys and the Johnson Crew.
However, despite the vicious gang warfare, locals spoke of a "community feel" and say that the area's reputation is unfounded.
Streetsweeper Carlos O'Garro, 66, told Birmingham Live: "I'm not saying bad things don't happen here but there's a real community feel about the people here.
"There's a good mixture of people – everyone gets on well, I love it.
"You have good and bad in every area but this area always gets a bad reputation – but I don't see more trouble here than anywhere else."
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He added that he feels safe and proud to work in Lozells.
Other locals also suggested that the reported issues are overblown.
A shopkeeper, who did not wish to be named, admitted that they have issues with littering, begging and drugs, but said the gangs haven't been a problem for a few years.
Meanwhile, Shamsun Choudhury, who has lived in Lozells for decades,said that she has never thought of leaving the "great" neighbourhood.
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She explained: "My husband always wanted to move but I would miss what I have here.
"I've lived here for almost 40 years – my kids are raised here – I know my neighbours, I know everyone on my street, you're not going to get that anywhere else.
"There is crime here, of course, there was a stabbing the other day, but we move past it and we get on.
"There are some negatives about Lozells but many more positives – I wouldn’t move."
Shamsun did say that she was annoyed by the amount of litter and would like to see the streets kept cleaner, but overall "loves" living in Lozells.
It comes after residents of another gang-affected area, sitting just a stone's throw from a millionaires' row, said that they are terrorised by criminals as scared police refuse to enter.
Meanwhile, The Sun Online gave an inside look at Britain's most notorious gang headquarters.
Who are the Burger Bar Boys and the Johnson Crew?
The Burger Bar Boys and the Johnson Crew are two rival Birmingham gangs that have been battling each other for almost 30 years.
Formed in the 1980s, they clashed over dominance of the local drugs trade, particularly crack cocaine.
The former gang's name reportedly comes from Burger Bar, a restaurant on Soho Road which they are believed to have used as a meeting place.
Likewise, the Johnson Crew apparently took their name from Johnson's Cafe on Heathfield Road.
They terrorised Lozells and the surrounding areas with guns and knives.
At the height of the violence, two teen girls were gunned down at a party in January 2003 in what was believed to be a botched drive-by assassination.
The girls were caught in the crossfire as a machine gun was fired into the crowd of revellers and four men, alleged to be Burger Bar Boys, were later jailed for their murder.
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