PEOPLE living in Burnley's Cog Lane have made an emotional appeal to councillors to sort the area out.

Residents have told Burnley Borough Council they are plagued by anti-social behaviour, paving stones are in desperate need of repair and many houses are derelict.

Now council chiefs have moved to ease fears, assuring residents that the area is set for a massive overhaul.

Council leader Stuart Caddy said Cog Lane was now part of the massive housing revamp taking place in the town over the next 15 years - although it will not be dealt with in the first two years of the programme.

Resident Sandra Morley fought back tears as she told a Burnley Council meeting how her street had fallen into decline.

She said: "I always thought as I came close to retirement age, if I ever needed any help there would be people there to look after me. But nobody you approach, the council, police, courts, all three fail miserably to fight the anti-social behaviour, vandalism or fighting.

"We have pleaded with youths whose parents are stupid enough to buy death-trap motorised scooters which they drive in a figure eight. The thugs who smashed the empty property now use it as their own private Wendy house and then they fired it.

"It just isn't fair on householders. A lot of tenants are in a position they can move, we are stuck with it."

Her claims were echoed by Cog Lane Residents' Association honorary secretary Beryl Turner who has lived there for 25 years and said she had "never known it to be so run down".

She said: "We had a visit from (prospective Parliamentary candidate) Kitty Ussher who talked about Labour bringing pride back to Burnley. Well Mr Caddy, we'd like you to put the pride back into Cog Lane by giving property owners the support they need."

Council leader Coun Caddy, who represents Rosegrove with Lowerhouse, said the councillors who look after Cog Lane had held meetings with residents and were trying to make improvements using money from the Housing Market Renewal scheme run in East Lancashire by Elevate.

He said: "We are trying our best. It is an eyesore on Cog Lane and the council shares concerns on anti-social behaviour and want to take action.

"We've got massive problems across the borough which is why we are fortunate to get Elevate funding. It is a 15-year programme and everyone cannot be first."

Labour Councillor Rafique Malik said people had to work together and "hold their nerve" to sort the problems out. But Liberal Democrat group leader Gordon Birtwistle said people in Cog Lane had been given promises for long enough.

He said: "The lady who spoke first has three derelict houses either side and her house is like a fortress. In 2004 that is nothing more than scandalous.

"Cog Lane can't wait five years let alone 15 years. It is Cog Lane's turn and I plead with the controlling group, the Executive and members of the government to see the situation and do something about it."