BURNLEY Council's chief executive swapped paperwork for legwork to meet the people who live and work in one of the borough's most deprived areas when she went a fact-finding mission.

Gillian Taylor was accompanied by council colleagues, including Mike Cook, head of regeneration and development, on a whistle-stop tour of Daneshouse and Stoneyholme to meet community activists and residents.

The tour was organised by ward councillors keen for the council's top brass, who oversee services and regeneration intiatives, to get a feel for the area before consultation begins on finding initiatives in Burnley which could form part of the East Lancashire plan.

Councillor Mozaquir Ali acted as tour guides for the afternoon, which included visits to the Access Point in Stoneyholme and the Sure Start centre in Daneshouse as well as walkabouts where Mrs Taylor stopped to talk to workers and residents about what they want for the future of the area.

Mrs Taylor said: "This is one of several trips I have made to this area and others in Burnley and it's quite exciting to see them personally.There's nothing that's a substitute for seeing things with your own eyes and talking to people on the ground.

"There's always paperwork piling up but you have to spend a bit of time out talking to people."

Talib Hussein, a Colne Road resident who attended the event to represent Burnley Community Forum, said: "It's good to get the council chiefs out here. I personally want to show Mrs Taylor some of the run-down housing and the rubbish, so she can see what people have to live with.

"The number of empty, boarded up houses is the biggest problem. I think actions speak louder than words and today they can see things with their own eyes."

Ward councillor and resident Mozaquir Ali said: "I want the officers to get a first-hand feeling for the area before we get to the stage of producing plans and my point as ward representative is to make sure they understand what they are talking about."