VANDALS are forcing tenants to flee their homes on a housing estate hit by anti-social behaviour and petty crime.

Five properties on Burnslack Road, Preston, are thought to have been abandoned and a further 17 on the same row lie empty.

Now the Eaves Brook Housing Association, which owns the estate, and a number of local councillors have come up with a law and order plan to stop other good tenants leaving.

Director of Eaves Brook David Barrow said for some time people living at the scheme have been subjected to harassment, burglary, theft, vandalism to buildings and cars, general nuisance and threats.

He added: "As a direct result of these problems, many of the existing good tenants have moved out or abandoned the properties."

Last year the association spent £53,000 repairing damage caused by theft and vandalism.

Councillor Bill Chadwick said: "It looks very bleak, almost like a ghost town. Residents are so disturbed they have abandoned ship - we can't imagine where they have gone.

"It seems to be becoming a no-go area."

Eaves Brook says it is prepared to use professional witnesses and video surveillance to beat the offenders.

In a letter to Bill Chadwick, Mr Barrow also said the association was considering installing extra lighting, burglar alarms and railings as well as discussing solutions with tenants.

Mr Barrow stressed: "We have caught this in time to solve it with support from the police, the council and the local community."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.