FLATS which have dominated Blackburn's skyline for three decades are disappearing brick by brick.

Larkhill flats which have stood in the heart of Blackburn since the 1960s, are having to be pulled down piece by piece after blowing them up was ruled out because of the number of other properties nearby.

Surrounding the 240 flats, of which only half were occupied, are a health centre, a school, a church and other houses.

Two of the three blocks of flats in Larkhill, off Barbara Castle Way, have been stripped of their windows and are now being demolished in sections.

In the place of these two demolished buildings, Ribble House and Pendle House which were built when high-rise flats were seen as the solution to the nation's housing problems, there will be 29 houses built to be used by families.

The third block of flats, Bowland House, has been given a £2.3million revamp and will be aimed at mature residents, according to housing association Space.

The regeneration project was given the unanimous backing of Blackburn's planning and highways committee at a meeting in May.