PEOPLE living in the centre of the Ryelands Estate are moving out because of the fear of demolition, an action group has claimed.

The Ryelands against Demolition group says many of its supporters living in an area which will be partly bulldozed are sick of being left in limbo.

They also claim some residents in the threatened area of the estate are tired of numerous visits from council officers.

However, the council claims enough residents have already agreed to move out for the scheme to go ahead.

Members of the Ryelands against Demolition group also say they are unhappy with the actions of the official tenants action group, which they describe as: "A group more concerned about picking the windows and doors that we are all going to get in the improvements than the worry and the stress that other people are going through."

Laurence Robinson of Ryelands against Demolition said: "The way the council have treated us and the people in the redevelopment area is just short of scandalous, if the information had not been leaked to us about the demolition, these plans would, have just gone through and we would have been trampled underfoot without a thought.

"After talking to other councillors some of them have come to the conclusion that if they had known all the facts that they may have voted differently.

"The Ryelands Against Demolition group will fight against any demolition of family homes and will continue to have no faith in the tenants action group, because we feel that they have let us down badly. Also there are a lot of people happy with their homes just the way they are."

A council spokesperson said: "Prior to the date of the full council meeting when the demolition was agreed, their were 26 houses were residents had indicated they would move and a further eight were unoccupied. Council officers have been meeting with people from those houses to discuss what relocation packages they would require, where they would like to move to etc. No-one has been forced to move against their will."