"THE house of horrors" is how father-of-two, Roy Richardson describes his home in Lowther Crescent, as he detailed the "unbearable" conditions he is living in and says that no one should have to live in such circumstances.

Roy says that as well as the problem of local hooligans, residents are facing "inhumane living standards" in vermin-infested houses which are in desperate need of repair and are surrounded by empty decaying buildings. He describes the sense of isolation and deprivation which hangs over the estate: "There is hardly anyone left on the estate because the situation has got so bad that no one wants to stay here. So many houses have been boarded up and there is no sense of community. I won't even let my children out by themselves because I'm scared of what might happen to them."

Roy, who lives with pregnant girlfriend, Lisa, and their two young children, Jack and Jordan, says that the conditions inside their home are just as bad, and explained how they have been left without a shower for almost a week in the sweltering heat.

He said: "An electrician came to the house to look at our shower and he declared that it was unsafe to use, but no one has been out to fix it and it's been impossible in this heat without any water with two kids."

And Roy added that his family had already been left for three months without hot water during the winter and said other parts of the house are badly in need of repair.

He continued: "The house is now infested with mice and it's such a frustrating situation because I've been trying to get things done for ages."

Roy says that he has asked to be rehoused on a number occasions.

A council spokesperson said: "These tenants have never been totally without water. They have been without hot water because of a defect with a shower which contractors were unable to service as they had problems gaining access. The shower was not, however, in a dangerous state. A housing inspector visited the house today (Monday) and the shower will be repaired by Thursday of this week."

"The tenants will be re-housed by the middle of August. Theirs is one of 96 pre-war properties on the estate which are to be demolished to make way for regeneration of the area. These properties are sited on the edge of the estate and they are hard to let as demand for them is very low. The majority of tenants surveyed indicated that they would like to move into more popular neighbouring areas."