PEOPLE looking for a council home in Bury can now view accommodation on the Internet.

Bury Council is showing 20 per cent of its vacant properties each week under a scheme called choice-based lettings.

The council has also unveiled a "virtual estate agent" style service on its website at www.bury.gov.uk, which allows residents to view on line all the available properties.

That means anyone looking for a council house can do so from home or by popping into one of the council's local libraries where Internet access is free.

Househunters can also find details of the properties at Bury Town Hall, Whittaker Street in Radcliffe, the Longfield Centre in Prestwich, Acorn House in Bury, Bury Housing Concern and Southview Hostel.

Existing council tenants, as well as people looking for their first council home, will also benefit because of more flexible rules employed in allocating the 20 per cent of homes in the new scheme. However, anyone interested in a property must first apply to be on the council's housing register.

Susan Jordan, the council's acting chief housing officer, said: "This scheme is designed to give people a little bit more freedom of choice and to play a more active role in finding a property to suit them.

"Most of the council's vacancies will still be allocated in the traditional way under the banding system because we have to meet certain responsibilities to homeless people and families in differing circumstances.

"However, this scheme will allow people who have been on the housing register for a long period of time, but maybe in less need than others, the opportunity to be re-housed in an area of their choice. It will also give existing tenants more of an opportunity to move homes."

Properties will be advertised on a Wednesday, with a closing day and time of 5pm the following Wednesday. Applicants can respond to adverts by making an "expression of interest", but they must meet the criteria for each property: for example, a single person will not be considered for a family-sized property.

The advertised property will be let to the applicant who has been on the housing register the longest, irrespective of their level of housing need.

The remaining 80 per cent of vacant properties will continue to be allocated to applicants on the housing register in order of priority need.

Anyone who cannot access the adverts can contact the council's access and assessment team on 0161 253 5251.