Community leaders in Wonford have hit out at reports of an "out-dated" website that slammed the "rough neighbourhood" of Burnthouse Lane.
The reviews, on the website www.ilivehere.co.uk, have been written by ordinary people of towns in England, are not balanced and at times offensive but have attracted attention across the country over the last few days.
On the site Exeter is criticised for what the author described as a 'chavish' outskirts.
But local councillors said the comments have caused a lot of anguish for people who live in the areas concerned and have responded to give a "true account" of what living there is like.
The website report says: "The hell mouth of chavish degeneration in Exeter opened up in Burnt House Lane many years ago.
"This rough neighbourhood sprawls through the eastern part of the city, were OAPs fear to walk in the evening. You see, their screams for help would be drowned out by stupidly loud and obscene hip-hop music and the odd gunshot.
"However, the degeneration doesn't cease in Burnt House Lane: the Council stupidly relocated trouble chav families from Burnt House Lane (also known as 'Laners') to previously pleasant areas of the city, hoping that 'The Lane' would become a safer place to live."
Wonford councillor for Exeter City Council Lesley Robson said: "This report has been causing a lot of trouble in the area and I have been stopped several times by people complaining.
"I am very concerned. I have never heard of any gun shots in the area.
"It is not an up-to-date view of the area and is giving a very false impression of what the area is really like. It is very upsetting for people considering all the work that has been done to improve the area.
"People are horrified. The report seems 25 years out of date.
"It is a peaceful, quiet area. Yes there are problems but people who live here are very proud of this area. There are lots of young families, the school has just received a first class Ofsted report and the idea that it is the 'wild west' is not an accurate representation of the area.
"Some people outside the area may think that but it is very much an out-dated reputation."
