Vulnerable youngsters are being pulled into the drug trade in Glastonbury, shocked town leaders were told at special meeting to discuss crime levels in the town.

The town council was told that drug crime in Glastonbury has risen by 75 per cent in the last 12 months and that several young people in the town were being exploited in the increasingly large drug market.

Inspector Matthew Reed told the meeting, held at the town hall, that crime had been steadily rising in Glastonbury over the last 12 months - with the majority of it pinpointed to a 300m radius around the centre of the High Street.

He said that the High Street was currently the most patrolled street in the Avon and Somerset Police service area, with crime levels comparable to those of central Bristol or Weston-super-Mare.

He told the council:

• Antisocial behaviour was up by 19.6% year-on-year
• Antisocial behaviour involving groups of people was up by 38.6 per cent year-on-year
• Total recorded crime was up by 13.1%
• Possession of weapons up by 33%
• Public order offences were up by 23.6%
• Theft had risen by 17.4%
• Drug offences were up by 75%
• The only crime statistic which had gone down was violence against the person, down 7.1%

He said: "As a short-term solution, we have increased the police presence in the town, and used forcewide resources like mounted patrols and officers from other beats. While we hope an intensive series of short-term policing will lead to long-term changes, we need to look at long-term solutions."

He said that police were working with other agencies to determine why Glastonbury attracted a disproportionate number of people who engage in anti-social behaviour.

He said that encampments, unlicensed buskers, traders, and support services could draw people to the town.

"It is very difficult," he said. "It seems that a good number of people are taking advantage of the town's hospitality. There are those in genuine need, and then there are those who take what they need from the town and repay it by committing crime and engaging in anti-social behaviour.

"The issues facing the town are complex, but if they are not tackled the street crime and antisocial behaviour will continue. My view is that a permissive attitude has developed in Glastonbury and that a number of individuals feel that anything goes."

He proposed that the council create a working group, consisting of people from the town, saying that he believed the town needed to work together to decide what type of town Glastonbury is, what is acceptable and what is not.

"There are no easy answers," he said. "No single agency can deal with the issue and history shoes that we cannot simply police our way out of it."

Councillor Steve Henderson said the Inspector had 'hit the nail on the head'.

"I think this town has been much too tolerant," he said. "We have been taken advantage of. It attracts an element who come here to get what they can."

The Mayor of Glastonbury, Jon Cousins, gave an impassioned plea to the people of Glastonbury.

This is an issue for the good people of Glastonbury. No-one sells drugs where no-one is buying drugs. It's not very hip or cool to say 'wow, we need to think about this'. There are people in all communities - even sat around this table, perhaps - who take drugs on a regular basis. What you're doing - even if you're buying from a friend - is reinforcing a culture that leads to horrific crime. So please, Glastonbury. Please do think about that. It is down to our community to take some responsibility for all of these things that are happening.

Members of the public spoke, urging the council to be supportive of the community lunches, free food events and the community fridge.

"We should support and feed each other," Colette Morely said. "Times are hard, we need a bit of compassion for the people who need support."

Other public members suggested other possible causes of anti-social behaviour, including the trauma of sex abuse and child trafficking, 5G and certain frequencies and energies in the town.

The councillors approved the working group, which will be set up in due course, while reflecting on the difficult things they had heard during the meeting.

"We knew this meeting wasn't going to be easy," said Deputy Mayor Indra Donfrancesco, "We have heard distressing things. And all sides have had a bashing. I hope we can move forward from this. "