RESIDENTS in some of Burnley's most deprived areas welcomed a VIP visitor to their homes yesterday in a bid to highlight the need for housing regeneration in the town.

Labour chairman Charles Clarke visited Burnley Wood during a tour of Lancashire.

The Norwich MP was impressed with the One Stop Shop in Crowther Street, where he was given a tour of the community facilities as well as talking to community wardens in the area.

Mr Clarke also toured streets earmarked for demolition in the Government's Pathfinder regeneration scheme.

He said: "The neighbourhood forums are very positive, as is the One Stop Shop and the Pathfinder project.

"Casting your eye around you can see what a depressed area this is. It will take time to turn this into a revitalised community but we can move it forward."

Crowther Street resident Susan Harrison, 34, talked to Mr Clarke about the council's plans to regenerate the neighbourhood -- which includes demolishing most of the homes in the area.

She said: "Hopefully they are going to make the area better than it is but they will never stop the problems. It's kids. There's not enough for them to do."

William Bruce, of Emily Street, Burnley, was one of the community wardens who met Mr Clarke and discusssed the progress the team has made since it was formed in Burnley Wood last August.

He said: "We talked about how the community wardens are gaining trust and confidence of the kids and parents -- especially where clean-ups are concerned.

"Because there are eight wardens over such a vast area we want people to get to know our faces so we are doing three months in one area then moving on to another."

The community warden scheme is funded by SRB, Neighbourhood and Street Wardens' Project (a Government initiative) and European cash.

Sue Cooper, area co-ordinator at Burnley Wood's One Stop Shop, said she showed Mr Clarke how the 'shop' was used and managed by the community for various activities for people of all ages.

She added: "The community own and run this building and it's only in the last four months that we've employed staff and there are four of us now. We are trying to encourage economic investment in the area."

Mr Clarke sought to discourage anyone considering voting for the British National Party in Burnley on May 2.