TENANTS in the Whitefield blight homes are being used as scapegoats by local homeowners, according to one leading tenant.

And, far from tenants being responsible for a crime wave in the area, Mr Mick Higson, chairman of the Whitefield Tenants' Action Committee, says that homeowners have been seen fabricating evidence.

He alleges: "Tenants have witnessed homeowners' children vandalising vacant properties and one homeowner was seen ripping black plastic bags of rubbish open and scattering it over a garden ready for a television interview."

He was speaking after the publication of a dossier which has been sent to the Parliamentary Ombudsman accusing the Highways Agency of maladministration.

Mr Higson added: "We are saddened to read such slanderous and fabricated allegations against the tenants, all aimed at gaining compensation for local homeowners.

"Tenants have come from a wide range of backgrounds and this is where discrimination has raised its ugly head." Mr Higson claimed that, despite homeowners branding tenants as drug dealers, vandals and "DSS scum", he had proof from the police that there had been no rise in crime in the area since tenants moved in.

Mr Higson, a member of Bury Council's M62 Relief Road steering group, has also criticised the group as only being interested in helping homeowners get compensation.

"Tenants and homeowners all share the same problems in the blight areas. We should be working together for the sake of the area but tenants are being used as scapegoats based on ignorance and greed," he added.

Coun Ivan Lewis, steering group deputy chairman, denied the claims, saying the group acted on behalf of owners and tenants.

The blight on the homes was caused when the Government announced they intended to demolish them to make way for an extension to the M62 motorway - only for the plans to be dropped due to cahs shortages.

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