PEOPLE convicted of domestic violence face losing their homes under a new get-tough policy drawn up by one of East Lancashire's largest landlords.

Twin Valley Homes has told tenants in its 10,000 former council homes across Blackburn and Darwen that it intends to treat such incidents as anti-social behaviour - triggering action for eviction.

People convicted in the courts, or whose family have been forced to leave their Twin Valley-owned home because of threats of violence, face the action.

Their families will then be given the chance to take over the lease on the property after they have gone.

The move, thought to be the first of its kind in the country, has been welcomed by women's groups and anti-domestic violence campaigners

It was also praised by the area's domestic violence forum, which is currently trying to tackle the borough's higher-than-average domestic violence rate.

Figures show that 1,639 domestic violence incidents were recorded in Blackburn with Darwen last year, which works out at 75 per council ward - 20 higher than the ward average for Lancashire.

That figure is down on the previous year, when 2,043 were recorded, but still higher than the 2001 figure of 1,402.

Phil Richards, chief executive of Twin Valley Homes, said: "We have decided to treat domestic violence as anti-social behaviour under the new anti-social behaviour policy we have been required to produce by the Government.

"This means that in cases where domestic violence lead to conviction, or where a tenant is forced to leave their home because of domestic violence, eviction can follow.

"Each case will be assessed individually but all tenants are now aware that they face eviction if they are responsible for domestic violence."

Coun Maureen Bateson, chairman of Blackburn with Darwen's domestic abuse group, said: "Domestic abuse is often a hidden crime and affects all groups within our society.

"This abuse is totally unacceptable and agencies in the borough have been working together to improve the support provided to victims and bring those committing it to justice. "

Myra Johnson of national campaign group Women's Aid added: "This is a fantastic move forward and it is about time the women's needs were put first. Often with rented accommodation it is the woman who ends up having to move out with nowhere to go, which only adds more to her worries.

"We are not aware of this happening anywhere else but would encourage housing associations everywhere to follow suit."

Coun Andy Kay, chairman of the borough's Community Safety Partnership, said: "The more we can do to send out the message that we will not tolerate domestic abuse and take firm action against those committing these acts, the more we can encourage people in often difficult circumstances to report these crimes in the knowledge that support will be provided."

Tenants have also been told they face eviction if they become 'malicious complainers' - trying to get other people evicted with "gossip" and spurious allegations.