THE New Year came in with a bang for people living in one area of Darwen, when part of a house collapsed.

The side of the house, which is on the end of a row of terrace houses in Franklin Street gave way at about 7am yesterday -- sending large stone slabs crashing to the ground.

The collapse blocked an alleyway at the side of the property and the area has been fenced off by police. Residents in Franklin Street said the building had looked unsafe for some time. One resident, who did not wish to be named, said: "I was in bed when I heard this massive crash. When I looked out of the window I saw half the house opposite was missing. There was no explosion or anything like that.

"The house has had a curve on it for some time and I think the frost and wet weather has got into the building and caused it to collapse.

"It is a good job nobody was about at that time because the alleyway is used a lot by kids who play football in there."

The occupants of the house are believed to be on holiday, possibly in India and efforts are being made to contact them.

No residents had to be evacuated from their property as the collapse was in a self-contained area.

Police were on the scene until the early afternoon and building surveyors from Blackburn with Darwen Council were due to inspect the building later today.