A FISHING shop owner who makes world-renowned salmon lures claims he is being sold down the river by council regeneration plans.

Spintec has been based in Johnston Street, Blackburn, for 35 years. But while surrounding properties have been given a facelift by Blackburn with Darwen Council, thanks to funding from the government's Elevate scheme, Morris Clarkson's shop has been left untouched.

And Mr Clarkson claims he cannot take on any more work because he does not know if his shop will be brought up to standard or bulldozed.

He said: "We are the only three blocks that haven't been done up. They keep saying next month, next month, but this has been going on for five years.

"We're working to capacity and we can't take on any more work.

"But we don't want to train people up if we're going to end up being relocated and then they might not come with us.

"There are rumours going round saying we're definitely going to be knocked down and the next minute we're not. We just want to know where we stand.

"How can we plan for the future when we might be getting knocked down in six months?"

Mr Clarkson previously sold craft and model kits but branched into the fishing business five years ago after the death of his wife.

Now the shop sells spinners and lures in kit form and ready made to local, national and international suppliers, individuals and companies.

Mr Clarkson hopes to extend into the sea fishing market but said that uncertainty surrounding the premises had put a stop to his expansion plans.

He said: "We daren't invest in the business because the place might be knocked down.

"We're at the last minute of the twelfth hour."

In 2004-2005, Elevate invested £7.8 million in Blackburn with Darwen in three areas, central Darwen, Blackburn inner north west and Blackburn inner south east.

But Coun Mohammed Khan, executive member for housing and neighbourhoods, explained that Mr Clarkson would have to wait a further two months for a decision to be made.

He said: "The council is aware of concerns from residents and owners of property on Johnston Street in Blackburn.

"The concerns raised are not dissimilar to other Housing Market Renewal intervention areas. Whilst ideally we like to give firm commitments and to recommend a course of action we cannot do this without some certainty on the availability of funds.

"We have submitted bids for further funding as part of the Elevate programme to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and hope that a decision on East Lancashire's allocation will be made in March."