ANOTHER £4million has been given to East Lancashire to help overhaul poor housing stock -- with the promise of much more to come.

The Government has handed out a total of £28million to nine Pathfinder schemes in the country, set up to target areas with chronic housing problems.

The local scheme, called Elevate East Lancashire, is battling for a slice of £500million in government cash over the next three years.

All have large areas of derelict or empty housing and the cash, the first chunk in a ten-year plan, is designed to kick-start regeneration.

Around £4million was given last year to enable plans to be drawn up for what will be done where, and the next £4million will help progress those plans and launch minor projects.

Areas of Burnley and parts of central Padiham will be targeted with Brierfield, Nelson and Colne, Bacup and Stacksteads.

A total of 27,000 houses in Blackburn with Darwen will be pulled down.

Parts of Accrington, Church, Oswaldtwistle and Clayton-le-Moors have also been identified for work.

Each council has targeted areas which will benefit from a range of measures, including demolition, rebuilding, refurbishment, environmental improvements and better facilities.

Latest funding will enable improvement work such as the demolition of obsolete properties, and the refurbishment of run-down housing to start immediately.