POLICE are setting up an action group in Burnley Wood to reduce crime and disorder by working with the community, local authority and organisations.

Young home owners told of the nightmare of living in Burnley Wood at the police and community forum at the area's community centre.

Several spoke of being "embarrassed" at where they lived and being caught in a negative equity trap with their homes being worth less than they owed on the mortgage.

Amanda Cochrane, of Duke Street, said: "I have been in Burnley for seven years and it was the biggest mistake of my life. I have been burgled, my child's sand pit stolen from my backyard, my sister has been attacked and the house next door was set on fire and my house was damaged due to it.

"It has been an absolute nightmare. I am frightened to go home at night. It has got to the point where I can't leave because people are trying to break in and I am in negative equity. It's not fair.

"I am so close to going up to the mortgage company and giving them the keys."

Older residents told officers about problems with neighbours and juvenile nuisance but they vowed they would not be forced to leave their homes because other people were bringing the area down.

Inspector Steve Hartley, who is in charge of Burnley Wood, said he was hoping to set up an action group in the area similar to schemes already operating in Leyland Road and Daneshouse aimed at reducing crime and disorder by working in partnership with authorities and community groups.

He said: "A third will be set up in Brunshaw next week and a fourth in Burnley Wood in the near future."

Insp Hartley said Pennine division was the first in the North West to introduce acceptable behaviour contracts and already 10 people had signed up to them. If the contracts are not adhered to the police will pursue antisocial behaviour orders. A juvenile nuisance register now had more than 40 names on it and Insp Hartley said the number of incidents of juvenile nuisance in Burnley East had decreased by 20 per cent.

He also said arson attacks in the area had been "dramatically reduced" since a recent arrest and a number of drugs warrants had been executed in the area leading to arrests.

Residents complained that some houses in Burnley Wood were being rented out by 'bad landlords' who were getting £50 to £60 a week and didn't care who was living in their properties.

County councillor for Burnley West John Entwistle, who chaired the meeting, said there was also a problem with private landlords putting asylum seekers into properties and the authorities being unaware of where the refugees were living.

He said: "While they are here they need to be cared for and if they are not then they will cause more problems."

Former Burnley councillor Marilyn Smith, who is also a landlord in another part of Burnley, said there were difficulties in getting tenants who were causing problems evicted, and divisional police commander Ian McPherson suggested councillors be lobbied to change tenancy laws.

Insp Hartley said: "People in Burnley Wood and particularly working out of the community centre are doing a fantastic job but we still have a long way to go.

"My officers are working hard and I personally drive round this area a lot. We are not going to solve all of the problems straight away but we are trying."