HOUSING bosses are monitoring one of their properties after the tenant appeared on a television clean-up show with its rooms filled with rubbish.

Officers at Ribble Valley Council were alerted to the situation at a house in Mayfield Avenue, Clitheroe, following an edition of How Clean Is Your House? on C4.

In the programme, tenant Julie Holden had her home inspected by self-appointed cleaning professors Kim and Aggie.

And they revealed that it was one of the worst they had ever seen.

Piles of rubbish were found in the hall, along with trash under furniture in the lounge.

But it was the state of the kitchen which caused most concern.

Rotting food was lying around and there was a fridge, which one of the presenters said "makes me want to faint."

Julie, a student, blamed her hectic college schedule on the state of her home.

She claimed: "I just close the door on the mess so I don't have to see it."

By the time the 'cleaning inspectors' had left, the house was immaculate. The programme was filmed several weeks ago.

Ribble Valley Borough Council's housing management officer Stephen Fell, who has responsibility for tenancy complaints and evictions, said: "The council does not have a policy of inspecting the inside of properties.

"However, if specific complaints were received or an external inspection gave rise to concern, action would be taken under the terms of the tenancy agreement.

"No complaints have been received in this case and externally the property has given no cause for concern.

"In light of the television programme, however, we will be monitoring the situation."

Chairman of the housing committee, Coun Joyce Holgate, said: "If there are found to be problems, we will take action, as we have done elsewhere in the past.

"It is important though, to mention that the majority of our tenants are very tidy.

"Earlier this year, we had 600 people apply for 25 vacant homes. There is a shortage, so it is important tenants look after their homes."

Coun Margaret Sutcliffe, whose ward covers Mayfield Avenue, said today: "I think we have to work on the assumption the programme was an exaggeration.

"I know a lot of people are talking about it."

Julie was unavailable to comment and nobody was at her house today.

One neighbour said: "I think everyone in the street watched it.

"We were completely shocked by what we saw on the telly. Surely it was a health risk to have rotting food like that."