RESIDENTS on Blackburn's asbestos-riddled Delph Lane housing estate today expressed concern that they were living with the potential killer fibres around them.

And owner-occupiers who bought their homes off the council and are now faced with a £15,000 bill to rid them of asbestos are facing a fight to get answers to their worries.

One said he felt "kicked in the teeth" by both the council and Twin Valley Homes over the issue.

Tenants Carol and Lee Mason have lived in Sandwich Close for just over a year. The asbestos was discovered in an empty house next door to them.

Lee, 34, said: "They sealed the whole house up and carried out tests on what they found. There was rumour it was asbestos but it didn't come out officially for a while.

"We're not happy at the thought of having to pack up all our stuff, move out for six to eight weeks and then move back again."

Carol, 42, added: "We've only been here a year and would rather just move somewhere else. Surely someone should have had an idea there was asbestos in here.

"Lee suffers with his breathing and we have drilled a lot of holes in the wall to put up pictures. We don't know whether that puts us at more risk or not.

"We've spent a lot decorating the place the way we want and now it's all going to be lost because they have to knock the walls down and put up new ones."

In a letter to residents Twin Valley Homes said that owner-occupiers would have to pay up to £15,000 if they wanted the asbestos in their homes taken out.

Albert Taylor, 65, has bee an owner-occupier on Romney Walk for 20 years and heads the Romney Walk Tenants and Residents Association. He had a survey on his property but asbestos did not show up.

He said: "We feel the council should have a duty of care because we bought the house off the council at a time when asbestos wasn't a problem. They are saying it's hard luck and we don't think that is right. We are not after money but we demand answers"

Another owner-occupier, Roy Richmond, 67, of Sandwich Close, said: "Twin Valley Homes said we should have had a survey carried out when we bought the houses but that was 20 years ago and asbestos wasn't a problem then.

"I feel kicked in the teeth. It must be detrimental to health or they wouldn't be spending all this money taking it out."

Other tenants expressed concern over the inconvenience of moving out of the estate.

Great-grandmother Joan Hargreaves, 74, of Hastings Close, said: "We don't feel like going through all this. At our age we cannot be bothered.

"It's where they are going to send us that is the problem. We won't have any choice about it."

Bill Fisher, 70, also of Hastings Close, said: "We don't know whether they are going to compensate us for our carpets which will be useless if they knock down walls."

Helen Clarke, 36, of Hastings Lane, said: "I don't mind moving because they are doing the right thing."