A BLACKBURN man is facing up to the prospect of being the only private homeowner in his street.

Retired Charles Hale, of North Road, Shadsworth, is the only person who owns his house in a row of 18 properties let out by Twin Valley Homes. There are only five other residents in the row, who are renting. The remaining houses are derelict.

Mr Hale said that over the past year the homes have been used by squatters and drug takers.

And now he is worried about the price his home will fetch because of the amount of abandoned property around him. After studying local house prices the 61-year-old former wagon driver fears his home could be worth less now than the £20,000 he paid for it 12 years ago.

On the upper section of North Road, which has now been cleared, the last resident held out for four months until Twin Valley Homes offered him a figure, believed to be around £15,000.

Landlord Twin Valley Homes said they have yet to decide on the future of the remaining homes in North Road.

Twin Valley, which took over management of 10,000 Blackburn with Darwen council homes in March 2001, revealed plans to demolish 650 homes in the Audley and Shadsworth area in July last year. Unpopular and empty housing in Rivington Road, St Clement's Close, St Clement's Street, Parkwood Road, Westwood Road and North Road were earmarked for demolition last year.

In the past month, flats in Parkwood Road and Westwood Road have been reduced to rubble.

Mr Hale is now waiting for Twin Valley Home's decision.

He said: "I don't feel good about living here at the moment.

"This area has really gone downhill in the last few years. People started moving out, the police are doing drug raids and there has been squatters in the flat next door."

But Mr Hale is uncertain about future plans for the road and said he has not been contacted by Twin Valley Homes.

He added: "I will be willing to move if the time come. Hopefully they will offer me a decent price.

"I paid £20,000 for this 12 years ago."

Phil Richards, chief executive of Twin Valley Homes, said: "We are appraising our options about the future of our remaining homes in North Road.

"No decisions have been taken and so we have not made any approach to purchase property."