AN angry resident today called on housing bosses to demolish or renovate a block of homes in a Burnley street - before yobs burn them to the ground.

Graham Knight claims residents in Verona Avenue are surrounded by dilapidated buildings which are attracting teen vandals.

And he fears the youths could set fire to an old home - putting neighbouring properties and families in danger.

The 42-year-old said 16 homes in the street have already been demolished, and he wants to know what will happen to the remaining empty homes, as he fears if no action is taken youths vandalising and setting fire to the buildings will destroy them.

In April the sole resident of Bartle Street, off Accrington Road, managed to escape a blaze which ripped through his home and seven empty houses. Firefighters said the blaze had been started deliberately in a derelict home.

But the housing group responsible for the homes has said it will not be knocking the homes down.

Alan Tyrrell of Burnley Padiham Community Housing said no more properties were scheduled for demolition.

He added: "The remaining properties are secured by Safe Estates with grills to window and door apertures."

Today Mr Knight, who believed the homes were earmarked for demolition, said: "No one seems to know what is happening. They are having us living in slum conditions.

"Kids are breaking into the houses and flooding them, smashing the tiles off the roof and just doing general vandalism.

"I want something to be done as soon as possible before the houses get burnt to the ground by the youths."

Mr Knight said he has tried to contact Burnley Padiham Community Housing about the problems and asked them to take action over two homes in particular which are in a block of four.

He said: "I am trying to get BPCH to do something about the situation. They should either knock them down or do them up."