FLATS in Earby that are repeatedly vandalised, boarded up, strewn with rubbish and raided by the police are making life a misery for nearby residents.

Now they are calling for urgent action from Pendle Council, which sold the building at 57/59 Colne Road to its current owner.

After being on the market for some time, it was sold around 10 years ago to Michael Spencer, formerly of Barnoldswick and now living in Gisburn. He won planning permission to convert it to flats, but problems began soon after they were first occupied.

Now neighbours have written a jointly signed letter to Pendle Council begging for help.

It stated: "There is excrement and used condoms on the floor of one of the flats, the glass from the windows of one ground floor flat has all been broken and is now boarded up, the general state of the building is a disgrace. Over the last couple of years these flats have been a magnet for drinking parties and drug takers and are frequented by school children as young as 12 years of age."

The letter concluded: "We are begging you on behalf of not only ourselves and neighbours, but also the parents of children who may be tempted to visit this hovel, to act quickly and decisively to get this property cleaned up or, better still, closed down, and made secure before there is a major incident."

Earby parish councillor Tim Haigh supported the residents when Pendle's West Craven committee met.

"The council has a particular moral responsibility with this building because it should never have been sold by the council for this use," he said, adding that the building was sold for just £11,000.

He said there had been problems since it passed into private ownership, including the creation of a fifth flat in the attic without planning permission.

"If there are still people living in there, possibly there shouldn't be, but the way forward is not just to close it and let it fester," he said.

Police have also raised concerns about the property following an early morning drugs raid in January.

A report to members said: "The flats have generally been let to single young males and the manner of occupation, together with poor management of the property, has contributed to a long history of complaint.

"There has been a constant stream of complaints concerning refuse in and around the property and the police have frequently been involved in forced entry connected with drug offences."

The report added that housing and fire safety officers had inspected the premises on February 6.

"It appeared that under-age girls were staying with one of the residents. Although it was not possible to gain access to one of the occupied flats, the remainder of the premises was in a desperate state; refuse-strewn, with drug paraphernalia in plentiful evidence, doors and partitions had been destroyed and there was general vandalism.

"There were apparently dangerous gas appliances and the fire alarm system was inoperative due to electrical faults."

Following that inspection, the council used its emergency powers to have the premises secured to prevent unauthorised entry. Now the council's housing officer is finalising a "schedule of works" to bring the property up to the required standard and a further progress report to the committee was promised.

But some members felt that didn't go far enough.

Coun Doris Haigh said: "There have been several and recurring problems at this property and I'm not prepared to say in public what the reputation of this house is. Can someone tell me why we can't shut this property down as flats as it is now?"

Committee chairman Coun Margaret Bell replied that if the council did close the flats down, it could have to compensate the owner for lost rent. "We could be talking a lot of money," she said.

Earby parish councillor Susan Willis replied: "So in the meantime the neighbours have to put up with a lot of hassle. Why?"

Coun David Whipp referred to the owner of the flats, commenting: "I think he has some difficulty in managing property and I've said so to his face. It galls me that after a decade of disastrous mismanagement this guy should get money from the public purse to compensate him!"

Coun Whipp proposed the next progress report should include more details on the unauthorised attic flat and the issue of licensing private landlords. He said the council should also investigate whether the owner would give the property back to the council so it could renovate it.

When the Craven Herald spoke to Mr Spencer he accepted there had been problems at the flats, but stressed he could not control the behaviour of tenants.

However, he refuted much of what was said at the meeting. For a start, he had paid £30,000 for the premises - not £11,000 - and then spent another £20,000 on converting them to flats. He said the attic room had never been let as a separate flat, but only used in conjunction with an adjoining flat.

He said he had carried out repairs as necessary.

"We have had problems and it's cost me money with the windows being broken," said Mr Spencer.

"I've carried out repairs and I'm still working on the property. Two of the flats were vandalised while I was out of the country and boarded up by the council, but I've started work on them and one is nearly ready for occupying again."

Mr Spencer said two of the four flats were currently occupied. He added that rubbish outside had often been dumped there by people not connected to the flats and he had had to remove it.

He described Coun Whipp's comments as "ridiculous" and said he had never made such remarks to his face.

As for him giving the property back, Mr Spencer said he had now put it on the market with an asking price of £50,000.