'Never mind the dog - beware of the owner!': Elderly residents refuse to leave bungalows set to be bulldozed

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Elderly residents who live in a block of bungalows in Trafford have been told their homes are to be demolished to make way for new ‘high-quality’ properties.

The residents on Highfield Close in Stretford say they are refusing to leave and uproot their homes and community.

Out of the almost 40 bungalows on the road, 18 are empty and gathering dust.

Trafford Housing Trust, which owns the homes, say the bungalows are situated within a 'high flood risk zone' and built with a 'solid floor construction that has created severe damp and mould issues'.

READ MORE: Couple trapped in their home by flood waters have lost three cars

The association said they want to demolish the properties - and re-home the tenants - in order to build 'new high-quality homes'.

But residents say they have had no issues with flooding or mould and have no intentions of moving.

“When I moved here, this was supposed to be my last port of call,” Lynda Mawdsley, 72, told the Manchester Evening News.

“Instead, it feels like I’m now waiting to be kicked out.

“It’s like they’re either waiting for us to die, or for someone else to die so we can have their homes - despite having perfectly good homes already.”

Lynda, who lives with five cats, has lived on the road for the last 18 years. She occupies the bungalow that her mother lived in for nine years before her.

“These bungalows were built in 1947 and it’s never, ever flooded here,” Lynda said.

“There are a couple of bungalows here that have some damp issues but I've lived here 18 years and never had any damp.”

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Lynda said she first heard rumblings that her home was in jeopardy five years ago when a worker mentioned in passing that they’d heard that six of the