HOUSEHOLDERS queued from 3.45am for home repair money but more than half were turned away because only 60 applications could be accepted.

Officers and staff arrived at Rawtenstall town hall to find a queue which stretched across the car park and beyond the police station on Lord Street.

Rossendale Council's private sector renewal manager John Molyneux said: "We think the first person started queuing at 3.45am but we had more than double the number of people queuing than we could accept applications from.

"We were surprised at how many people were waiting, there were more than last year."

He said the council had notified people that the home repair grants, which cover re-roofing, new windows, repointing and other housing work, were available from January 7.

Last year, Mr Molyneux said people queued from 6am, so this year they probably decided to queue even earlier to ensure they got a grant.

The money is available to private householders, owner occupiers or people who rent private housing. All must be on benefits, be disabled or infirm.

One disappointed person was Eddie Draper, 49, of Newchurch Road, Stacksteads, whose thumb was cut off while he was working as a bin man and although it was reattached, it doesn't work.

He has also had two heart attacks and a triple heart by-pass in June. He was hoping to get money to rewire his house which has not been done for more than 20 years.

He said: "They should prioritise the applications in terms of need rather than first come first served.

"If you are disabled or infirm, you can't go queuing up in the freezing cold at 4am."

A budget recommendation to tomorrow's community service committee proposes allocating £120,000 for home repair grants.

If that figure is approved, Mr Molyneux said it was 50 per cent more than last year.

He said: "Some councils just ask people to write in and are a bit woolly about the date. We are specific so everyone who wants to apply from anywhere in Rossendale has an equal chance of obtaining a grant.

"What we are doing at the moment is we are looking at other ways of managing the situation for next year. We are not happy with the situation that people are queuing up from the early hours of the morning."

He said these grants are be available just once a year although the council gets inquiries for grant aid all year round. He said there was no point in taking applications until the council had made the money available.