residents living in rundown houses have been warned by council chiefs: "Sort your homes out or we'll do it at your expense."

Rossendale Council officials have responded to calls to tackle the problem of grotty and derelict buildings by sending out 90 enforcement notices.

They have been sent to the owners and landlords of homes in a bad state-of-repair across the borough telling them to take immediate action.

If they don't the council will carry out the repairs and landlords and home owners will be sent a bill for the work.

Whitworth councillor and former Mayor Alan Neal had raised concerns about the former Conservative Club in Market Street which has been standing empty for almost a decade.

And he welcomed the council's action, saying: "That building is in a terrible state."

Council leader Duncan Ruddick said: "Councillor Neal is quite right to draw attention to this. The act gives the council powers if we can't make people put their houses in order then we can do it for them and put a charge on the building.

"Our officers have recently written to quite a lot of address in the first stage of doing that and asking them to do something about their derelict houses or else.

"I don't know if this building in on that list but for obvious reasons we couldn't say if it was.

"We can't attack every house simultaneously but we will take due regard of what's required. "

Linda Fisher, head of legal and democratic services, warned owners of eyesore buildings that more action would be taken.

She said: "I am aware of that property in Whitworth.

"The legal section are dealing with it. So far the legal section has been involved in serving 90 properties with letters in the borough that are considered to be of an untidy nature.

"We will be serving more over the next couple of weeks. "