IRRESPONSIBLE landl-ords who live outside East Lancashire and allow their properties to be used as drug dens are being targeted by police.

Officers growing increasingly concerned about rented homes in Burnley being used for drugs have called on landlords to help police more, or have their properties shut down.

The warning comes after police and Burnley Council secured a court order to close down a home used as a drugs den in Windsor Street. Magistrates granted a closure order on the rented home. The house will now be closed for three months.

Under the Anti-social Behaviour Act, anybody caught entering the property in that time could face six months in prison, or a £5,000 fine.

Following the granting of the court order, police said the owner of the house was from London. Inspector Dave Croll said: "We have a good relationship with many landlords in Burnley, but there is a problem with some from outside the area who buy up properties.

"They have no affinity to the area, no responsibility or accountability, and do not buy into improving neighbourhoods.

"We would call on them to work with us more closely to address problems of anti-social behaviour, or we will have to undertake more closure orders and they will be left with empty homes which nobody can use for three months."

The multi-million pound Elevate housing programme to breathe new life into Burnley's neighbourhoods started in 2004.

Before that, there were 5,000 empty homes in the borough, which prompted outside investors to buy properties in Burnley for as little as £5,000, said police. One of the aims of Elevate is to stop the over-supply of homes in the borough.

This, and a voluntary good tenant scheme, where would-be renters have to produce references from previous landlords and undergo police checks, would make it harder for bad tenants to find accommodation, said police.

Insp Croll added: "At the moment, certain landlords will sit on problems, even though they have been told there is a problem like drug dealing, and that forces the police to take action such as closure orders. We would encourage responsible landlords to work with the police before it gets to that stage."