RESIDENTS in Burnley are celebrating after a derelict house that has blighted their lives for many years was demolished.

The bulldozers moved in to knock down 58 Prestwich Street yesterday, which is the only vacant property in a row of 14 homes and was declared unfit to live in by the council last year.

It has been empty since August 2000 and has been a target for fly-tippers, vandals and arsonists.

Prior to that it was occupied by a number of anti-social tenants.

Wendy Graham, chairwoman of Prestwich and Athol Street South Residents' Association (PASSRA), said: "We are delighted that it is finally being knocked down.

"We have had problems with vandalism, fly-tipping and arson, cars have been abandoned outside it and then set on fire - it has been a nightmare.

"We are a really hands-on residents group and have attracted lots of funding to regenerate our area, we have got alleygates, we have adopted the allotment site, but this was one problem where we were out of our depth."

Mrs Graham said they brought the issue to the attention of Burnley Council leader, Coun Stuart Caddy, and officers from the housing and market renewal team, who visited last year.

After seeing for themselves the problems residents in the area were experiencing the council approved a compulsory purchase order on the property and yesterday brought in the bulldozers.

Wendy said: "We really appreciate everything they have done to help us get rid of this problem property. We have gone all out to get this sorted but we couldn't have done it on our own."

Mike Cook, director of regeneration and housing at the council, said: "We have been working with the local residents' group for sometime on this.

"It is a good example of the council and residents working together to sort out a serious problem in a terrace that is otherwise stable and in good condition.

"We hope it sends out a strong message to others that with a lot of effort and co-operation things like this can be done."

In consultation with the residents, the council has agreed that once the house had been cleared a concrete slope, with stones set in it, will be put in its place.

Wendy said: "Residents were asked what they would like to see happen to the site and we decided this would be the best way to prevent it from becoming a target for any further anti-social behaviour in the future."