HOUSING Minister Lord Falconer heard of the erosion of people's confidence due to the degeneration of the area when he visited the parts of Burnley at the centre of the summer disturbances.

Among the people who showed him around the Duke Bar area was Colin Dawber, leader of Duke Bar Community Action group.

Mr Dawber, a newsagent in the area for 11 years, said they were showing him the degeneration of the housing stock and telling him about the falling house prices.

He said: "It is a black hole, a pit that East Lancashire seems to be falling into. You can't expect local people to move to Cheshire and pay £250,000 for a house when you can't get anyone to pay £25,000 for a house in this part of Burnley."

Mr Dawber said there was a distinct lack of hope amongst people.

He added: "They fear to get up in the morning wondering will they still have a job and a home that is still worth something, a fear of stepping out on the streets after a certain time of day and letting their kids play out.

"It is not a trembling fear but a slow erosion of people's confidence."

The June disturbances in the area were he believed a symptom of what was happening in the East Lancashire area.

He said: "There is a huge gulf between East Lancashire and the rest of the county never mind the rest of the country."

Mr Dawber agreed with the Minister that there was no magic solution to the problems.

He added: "We need to be made a special case and do something, point someone in the right direction to make a difference to the 90-100,000 in this area and stop them falling into the pit. There has to be a way to change it."

Lord Falconer said: " I have come to Burnley to see for myself the housing problems and what is going on with regard to regeneration not just in Burnley but in East Lancs has a whole."

He added: "One sees in Burnley the abandoned houses and of how sharply the market in private sector housing has collapsed.

"We need to discuss what long term measures we can take. Coming to East Lancashire provides a real insight into the nature of the problem and the urgent need to do something about it."

He said Lord Tony Clarke, independent chairman of the Task Force set up to investigate the summer disturbances had listened to the people of Burnley.

Lord Falconer added: "I am not in a position to say what the government will do. I need to make sure that the government is as fully informed as they can be when these discussions take place."

Burnley MP Peter Pike who is trying to get a debate on the issue in the House of Commons said: "Burnley cannot tackle these problems alone without help from the government. My job is to convince the government of the need to help Burnley in every possible way and that is why I am glad that the Minister is here.

"The more people who understand the scale of the problem the better so that the message is understood.

"I think Lord Falconer has a firm grasp of the problem.

"I think it was good for him to see it for himself and to meet some of the residents."