A DEFIANT lone resident today vowed to stay put in a boarded up street until housing bosses pay him "the right price" for his home.

And Colin Hale, 61, demanded police protection from the vandals who have targeted his flat, saying: "It's like living in a jail."

Up to 28 derelict homes surround his one-bedroomed flat in North Road, Shadsworth, Blackburn.

Twin Valley Homes, the company which took over management of 10,000 Blackburn with Darwen council homes in March 2001, has demolished the top section of the road and surrounding streets in the past year.

The scheme is part of a drive to get rid of houses which were unpopular and difficult to let. All the neighbouring tenants have move away, leaving home owner Mr Hale as the only resident.

He said he has been offered £17,000 by Twin Valley for the flat which he bought in 1992 for £20,000 and wants £34,000.

Twin Valley Homes today said it was in the final stages of negotiations with Mr Hale's agents and were awaiting a response on their final offer.

Yesterday Mr Hale came home to find bricks had been thrown through his bedroom window.

In past weeks burglars have broken in through a bathroom window and rubbish is regularly dumped in the gardens of the nearby houses.

He has put up washing lines as trip wires to prevent intruders entering his garden, wire mesh on a back window and wrapped barbed wire up the drain pipe.

He has even chained his dustbin to the house wall to prevent would-be burglars using it to climb on.

Now Mr Hale has made a plea to housing company Twin Valley Homes to give him a decent price for the one-bedroom flat so he can move to a safer place.

Mr Hale said: "I shouldn't be living like this.

"It's like living in a fortress. I came home yesterday morning to find bricks thrown through my front window. It's just not right.

"I have contacted Twin Valley Homes. The last offer they gave was £17,000, which is peanuts.

"They have made this street like this, why should I pay for it?

"I want a fair price. I think they are trying to wear me down so I leave but I won't until they give me a fair price for my home.

"When I moved here 12 years ago it was lovely here.

"Now it's like a prison. I feel vulnerable and I have become a target for vandals.

"Even the police said I shouldn't be living like this.

"But I've come this far. I'm not giving in now."

A spokesman for Twin Valley Homes said there were no immediate plans for the future of the boarded-up houses which surround Mr Hale.

Gwyneth Sarkar, director of housing, added: "We have been in negotiations with Mr Hale's agents for several months and further discussions have been taking place this week.

"We are awaiting a response from Mr Hale's agents on our latest offer."

Blackburn police said they were aware of a report of criminal damage at Mr Hale's property and will be making inquiries.