RESIDENTS have won a victory in their fight to secure a fresh start for one of Burnley’s most rundown streets.

Neighbours living in Burnley Lane have lobbied the authorities for 10 years for improvement works – and missed out on successive major regeneration programmes.

And this had led to a delegation descending on the town hall earlier this month to make one last plea for an estate where an estimated one in four properties are boarded-up.

Now it has been confirmed that the district will be one of three to benefit from a £3.5million government initiative to tidy up ‘clusters’ of down-at-heel housing.

The other two beneficaries will be the area between Gannow Lane and Oak Street and selected streets in the town’s Trinity ward, from Nairne Street down to Herbert Street, and across to Queensberry Road.

Coun Julie Cooper, who is council leader, said: “The £3.5million we have been granted by the Government sounds like a lot of money.

“But it is tiny against the previous amounts Burnley received in the past to tackle housing issues. That said, we are glad it is here and we will use it to good effect.”

Landlords will also be urged to work in partnership with the borough council to maximise the effect of the investment.

Coun Howard Baker, who is housing cabinet member, added: “The approach we take in these areas will maximise the limited funds we have.”

Burnley Liberal De mocrat MP Gordon Birtwistle , while he was lobbying for the ‘clusters’ cash, had taken Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Housing Minister Andrew Stunnell on a tour of the Burnley Lane area to show the problems.