LEWISHAM: Borough among most angry places in London

The British Association of Anger Management (BAAM) says the borough is the seventh most angry place in London and that the capital is the angriest city in the UK.

After researching the topic from January to December 2008 it found Lambeth to be the angriest place in London closely followed by Enfield.

Greenwich meanwhile was one of the more happy boroughs coming joint-20th out of 32.

Director of the association, Mike Fisher, said the data showed residents in the capital were frightened by their inability to handle feelings of stress and rage.

He said: “I believe issues such as crime, violence, road rage, addiction, eating disorders, depression and many other mental health issues all stem from our inability as a culture to handle or express our feelings, especially those of anger.

“We want to move anger up the political agenda. It is the elephant in the room at the moment, costing the NHS billions in tackling its side effects.

"Violent incidents alone cost the NHS £2.7bn a year.”

The association's research focussed on a survey which asked 18 questions such as "Do you think there is a problem with people not treating each other with respect and consideration in your area?"

Another question was "do you feel like you belong in your immediate neighbourhood?"

What do our readers say?...........

Ketheeswaran Ramlingham, aged 30, works in Lewisham town centre.

"The main problem is crime and that puts everyone on edge and makes them feel angry. People come into the shop and steal things and it puts you in a bad mood when you go home at night.

"It's mostly young kids. They are noisy and show no respect."

Dorrian Robinson, aged 37, often visits his girlfriend in Lewisham.

"All you have to do is read the local papers to see what an angry place it is. There is always stabbings and crime. When I am in Catford I feel particularly uptight and claustrophobic."

Abid Hussain, aged 40, owns a shop in Lewis Grove, Lewisham

"There is a definite problem with violent crime in the area which would suggest angry people are here. I have people stealing from the shop and that makes me angry. But I guess if you are nice to people then they are nice back. If you are rude then people tend to be the same.

Brenda Clemens, aged 72, Lives in Chudleigh Road, Forest Hill, and works in Lewisham High Street.

"The only angry people we get in here are the ones who try to nick stuff, if you tell them to put it back! I've lived in Lewisham all my life. I just think if you give out a smile you get a smile back."