THOUSANDS of East Lancashire homes could be at risk from costly environmental hazards which lower house prices, it was claimed today.

The area's historic manufacturing past could end up costing home owners thousands of pounds, according to a controversial new survey.

It says 74 per cent of households 134,653 in the Blackburn post code area, which covers most of East Lancashire, have the potential to be affected by industrial pollution.

But today local business experts have questioned the survey, and said home buyers are well protected against such threats.

The figures, part of a survey of 36 locations, put the percentage of the area's households at risk from industrial pollution for instance toxic dyes from mills in the area's industrial heyday at the top of a risk table, including cities such as Manchester.

The figures which also show risk from hazards including flooding and subsidence have been revealed by Landmark, a firm with one of Europe's largest databases of land and property information, which is then supplied to solicitors and home buyers.

David Kempster, marketing manager for Landmark's legal and financial division, said: "We are just highlighting that there is a history of industrial activity and by their nature there maybe, in certain circumstances, the potential for a contamination event to happen.

"It doesn't mean it will happen in all cases. Not every mill had the pollution."

According to Landmark, 63 per cent of households, in East Lancashire could be at risk from flooding.

And 69 per cent, or 125,554 could be at affected by licensed landfill and waste processing, and 43 per cent, or 78,244, could be at risk from subsidence, for example due to mining.

But today Andrew Ashton, an estate agent based on King William Street, Blackburn, said: "I have never come across it. I have had a landfill site investigation but only one in 20 years in the business.

"Increasingly flooding is becoming an issue but ironically it hasn't caused serious problems."

And Valerie Miles, East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce policy manager, said: "We would dispute that they prove that the Blackburn area is incredibly polluted.

"Any site historically used for industrial purposes becomes, technically, potentially hazardous.' Most of East Lancashire has a history of industrial activity, ranging from the old lead mines on the moors to the valley towns' cotton mills.

"Every such site is potentially hazardous' but virtually all of them will be in a very low risk category."