A HOUSING association is to beef up security in elderly people's homes after a spate of break-ins.

Darwen town council mayor, Cllr Roy Davies said bungalows in Cambridge Gardens, Redvers Road and Oaksfield, in Darwen, have been targeted in the last few months.

Together Housing has responded by saying it will install new window locks, tamper alarms and security stickers.

Cllr Davies said that offenders have got into houses through patio doors and windows.

He said: “I have had reports of 10 break-ins in the last few months.

“People have complained of offenders breaking in through back doors and even smashing a patio window with a house brick.

“This has been a problem for the last six months around Ely Close, Cambridge Gardens, Redvers Road and Oaksfield.

“These are bungalows which house a lot of elderly and vulnerable people who are being terrorised by this.

“The police and housing association have been made aware of the problem.

Along with Sudell ward councillor Paul Browne and Darwen MP Jake Berry, Cllr Davies, raised the issue with Together Housing and called for security to be stepped up.

Cllr Davies added: “I welcome the fact that Together Housing will be improving the security to reassure tenants who have told me they’re too frightened to sleep at night.”

Cllr Paul Browne said that elderly people would now be able to feel safer.

He said: “I’m over the moon about this and these elderly people deserve the extra security. “

Caroline Grosvenor, head of sustainable neighbourhoods at Together Housing, said it would be contacting residents later this month to arrange installation which it aims to carry out as soon as possible.

She added: “Following complaints from a number of tenants and other residents of several streets in Darwen, Together Housing has been working with police and residents to obtain funding to install new window locks, tamper alarms and security stickers to deter criminals and strengthen security.

“In order to make sure our residents feel safe and reassured, we have now committed our own funds to carry out this work on Together Housing properties and hope funding from other sources will be secured soon for other properties in the area.”