A COUPLE left homeless by a blaze have been told they must say goodbye to their pet dogs.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has offered to house the Wilkinsons on condition they do not bring along their pets.

Stephen and Sylvia Wilkinson live on a notorious road plagued by vandals.

Arsonists have repeatedly targeted empty and derelict houses in Flimby Close on Blackburn's troubled Fishmoor estate.

Many houses have been left empty and residents say their lives are being made a misery by the young vandals.

Arsonists set fire to an empty house on Flimby Close on Wednesday and the empty building has been declared dangerous.

Council officials told Stephen and Sylvia, who suffers from angina, they will have to move for fear the unsafe building will collapse on their home. The couple have a Jack Russell and lurcher and are worried what will become of them.

Sylvia said: "The only alternative accommodation the council has offered is the homeless unit in Darwen.

"We have two dogs and when we asked about them we were told they can't go to the unit with us and it is up to us to sort them out."

Stephen said: "We don't want to leave the house because as soon as somewhere becomes empty the kids just break in and wreck everything.

"Half the houses on the estate are empty and it is like Beirut up here. These kids are just running wild and we are not the only ones who have been forced out of their home.

"We just want to get out of here as soon as possible but there is nothing the council will do about the situation."

No council comment was available.

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