RESIDENTS in Burnley Wood have launched a new action group to try to improve the quality of life for people in in the area.

More than 70 people, including the three ward councillors and the local policeman, turned out for a meeting at Burnley Wood One Stop Shop to discuss the idea of forming Burnley Wood Community Action Group.

It was organised by two residents, Brian Fenn, of Back Oxford Road, and Steve Gwilt, landlord of the Britannia Inn, in Oxford Road, who decided that all the other areas in Burnley attracting extra funding and support had strong residents' groups lobbying for improvements.

At the meeting residents raised some of the issues that were concerning them before voting in favour of starting the group and forming a committee of 15 volunteers to run it.

Brian, who was voted in as chairman, said: "It was an excellent meeting, I wasn't expecting to get 70 people there. People stood up and make their views known. There was a lot of anger and concern from people who felt let down because resources haven't been spent in this area.

"But they were also prepared to get involved and work to make the area a better place to live and it was agreed that we form an action group to help improve people's quality of life."

He added: "Now that we have done that, the hard work starts for me and the committee. We need to start producing results. We will be taking one issue at a time and trying to find the funding and resources to make something happen."

The group's first task has been to ask for a children's play area to be included in the neighbourhood renewal plans for Burnley Wood. The plans are being drawn up in all areas that will benefit from the first wave of funding from Government Elevate East Lancashire regeneration cash.

Brian said: "Until now, we haven't been able to influence the plan properly because we did not have a community action group there to find out what people wanted and push for it."