FOOTBALL fans in East Lancashire pay less for the right to have footie on their doorsteps than fans anywhere else in the country.

A survey of Premiership grounds by FA Cup sponsors Axa has revealed the North West is lagging behind Chelsea's millionaire row, with an average house price of £285,000, when it comes to living next to where the action is.

And inquiries by the Lancashire Evening Telegraph have revealed that property prices in the shadow of Burnley's Turf Moor ground are as low as £27,000.

The survey revealed that Blackburn Rovers are rock bottom of the Premiership. The average cost of a house near Ewood Park is £30,000.

A spokesman for Bairstow Eves Estate Agents said the average house price around Turf Moor was also around £30,000.

And Miss Marion Smith of Holcombe Drive, Burnley, who has lived near Turf Moor for 32 years says house prices near most football grounds suffer.

She said: "It is a minus because of parking, access and noise problems.

"It would have made a world of difference to the area had Burnley FC re-located to the present Asda site when they were moving towards creating all seater stadiums." She said a friend in Lyndhurst Road, where houses sold for around £35,000 five years ago, had been told to advertise his home for a 'realistic' £27,000 if he wanted a buyer.

Three people who recently called to view had rejected the house because it was too near to the soccer ground.

The survey also revealed that house and motor insurance in Ewood is half that of Chelsea and other London clubs such as Arsenal, Charlton, Tottenham and Wimbledon.

But Ewood and Fernyhurst Resident's Association member Tommy Sharples says he'd rather stay where he is, near the home of Rovers, rather than move to the posh London suburbs.

He said: "To be honest I can't really see what the point of surveys like this is.

"It doesn't make a scrap of difference to anybody's lives and its all a bit trivial. Who cares how much houses cost in Ewood compared to those near football grounds in London?" Rovers were joint bottom of the Premier League house price league with Everton and residents who live near Goodison Park.

Research was conducted among local estate agents during early February to compile the survey.

A three-bedroomed terraced house within half a mile of the ground was used as a benchmark.

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