PENDLE Council is currently inspecting a block of flats in Earby after both the police and residents contacted the Urban Renewal Section regarding its 'derelict' state.

Inspections of all but one of the flats at 57 and 59 Colne Road have been carried out by council officers and the fire safety officer of Lancashire Fire and Rescue, and it was reported that the premises were in a 'desperate state' with refuse and drug paraphernalia strewn about, door and partitions destroyed and general vandalism.

It was also discovered that there were dangerous gas appliances and the fire alarm system was not working due to electrical faults.

But Susan Spencer, whose husband Michael owns the flats, said the problems occured while they were out of the country and that they were now trying to sort them out.

She said: "Mr Spencer has been out of the country for six months and I have been away for four and-a-half months. Before I left all the flats were let. When I came back there was just one person left and all the rest of them had been trashed. They were disgusting.

"Michael has had to sort his other property as well since he returned but he is putting 100 per cent in to doing up the Colne Road flats now. The property is now secure so there's no possibility of anyone getting in to squat there and there's just one flat let out.

"When the flats are fit to live in again he will be letting them again. Although if anyone has any other ideas and wants to buy them we are quite open to suggestions."

The police referred the condition of the flat to the council after one of several forced entries they had carried out in relation to drug offences and a petition has been received from residents who complained about the dirty state of the flats and the noise nuisance.

Anita Nash, of Colne Road, Earby, signed the petition and branded the building as a 'disgrace'.

She said: "It's a real mess. There's broken windows, drain pipes hanging off, rubbish and old furniture outside. The council officer and a fire officer who inspected it told us how bad the inside was with needles and dog dirt on the floor.

"Everytime a window gets broken it's just boarded up. It just looks derelict from the main road, which doesn't give a nice impression of the village. The people in there just sleep all day and then when we are going to bed they are awake and making a noise. If we wanted to sell our house we wouldn't stand a chance. Some of the flats don't even have doors on them."

Paul Yeomans, environmental health and urban renewal services manager, has compiled a report for the West Craven Committee meeting tonight which recommends that the council notes the information and awaits a further report from him on the progress of the matter.

He said the housing technical officer was finalising a schedule of works to bring the property up to the required standard and was obtaining the remainder of information necessary to determine the most appropriate course of action.