Inside drug-ravaged ‘zombie’ town where crumbling homes cost little as £5k

IN a green space at the centre of Horden's maze of boarded-up houses and vacant shops stands Marra, a 9ft sculpture of a miner with his heart ripped from his chest.
It couldn't be a more fitting reflection of a community which has suffered the same fate.
Artist Ray Lonsdale's statue, erected in 2015 by Horden parish council at a cost of £19,000 to illustrate the demise of Durham's mining communities, couldn't have been placed in a more appropriate spot.
The coastal village entered a death spiral of decline that hasn't halted since the colliery closed in 1987, throwing 4,000 men on the dole.
In that 36-year period "nowt good has happened in Horden" according to one resident, who paints a grim picture of daily life in a village where the signs of decay are clear on every street corner.
It's a place plagued by drug use - "crack, smack, blues, yellows, they'll take anything" - and where even the wrecked and boarded up houses aren't safe from burglary.
Drug users have become so desperate that they are breaking in to steal any copper pipes and cables left behind to sell as scrap metal in the hope of raising enough cash for their next fix.
Statistically it is one of the most dangerous places in County Durham with 178.9 crimes per 1,000 people and 6,807 crimes committed in 2023.
The new Labour government, elected on a mandate for change, has its work cut out to turn around the fortunes of Horden, something the party was unable to achieve the last time it was in power.
But that's what residents here are demanding.
"We're sick of living like this," says Les Wright, 61, who formerly worked in security but is now in receipt of sickness benefit.
"This place is crazy and it's getting worse. People don't dare go out of their front doors at night because of all the crime, you could get mugged at any time during the day, let alone at night.
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[@smith23652]

I started doing drugs years ago as a teenage, got addicted to crack. Spent my whole life fighting crack addiction. I suffered severe depression and mental disorder. Not until my mom recommended me to psilocybin mushrooms treatment. Psilocybin treatment saved my life honestly. 6 years totally clean. Never thought I would be saying this about mushrooms.

[@DonnDenisse]

Hey! Yes Dr.alishrooms

[@Mcdogmom288]

Mushrooms are very medicinal. This is why anybody familiar with psilocybin and any other kind of fungi will tell you, "They are alive." They have a very ancient wisdom. To my experience, all mushrooms have always said, "Pay attention to your life. How you think, how you feel, and what will you do with the information that you always knew, but now are seeing in this point of view." This is why mushrooms are so respected in tribal cultures. This mental health treatment works for me too. Half micro doses do the trick for me. At least a few days at a time with lengthy time in between. Never addictive. Thank you for sharing this point!

[@MarcWilliams-dz7ik]

How do I reach out to him? Is he on telegram

[@ElizabethMicheal-fu8xn]

Yes he's Dr.alishrooms. My daughter did straight shrooms in few days. Made her whole! after words, no more addictions, pains, ptsd and depression. It helped us.

[@EdwardJacob-x8o]

Thanks for sharing this great information, this would help my son.

[@SiCrewe]

I'm sick of hearing about how "there's nothing for kids to do". I live in a small town where there's drugs, teen pregnancy, vandalism, theft and there's "nothing for kids to do".... except 2 beaches within walking/cycling distance, a river, a forest, a swimming pool, a park (with a playground), tennis courts, a golf course, football fields, a bowling green and a skate park. Kids don't act badly because "there's nothing to do". They act badly because they've never been taught moral behaviour.

[@jomsviking5383]

Yep agreed, as a kid we made our own fun wether in a park, river, woods ect

[@redbearduk]

Ah yes kids love a good bowling green! And the old folk will love having them there I’m sure. You’re not wrong though, iPads have zapped the kids imagination.

[@nathanmiller9632]

Believe me there's nowt to do up there and even if their was you wouldn't let your bairns roam the streets anyways

[@ricksanchez3218]

When police effectively abandon an area for drugs to run rampant it kills the community. Kids can't go swimming or to play in parks or woodlands when they are littered with needles. Some of these northern towns (and I live in county Durham) are near enough condemned. Pretty sure you didn't buy your home for 5 grand.

[@Storm.Z.4u]

@@nathanmiller9632 Well perhaps they could attend school and obtain an education, something you clearly avoided.

[@Susan-nm3sx]

The further away from London, the less the government care, it’s disgusting. 🤬🤬🤬

[@mikewinston8709]

Change your life then…stop moaning.

[@benjaminleo7011]

Have you seen London? It's exactly the same. If you're bank account doesn't have 9 digits, then you're obsolete to their plans.. if its less than 5, well.... I'm pretty sure you know the score. Practically poverty now a days. The govt, banks, energy supplier, head CEO's are all that matter.

[@Storm.Z.4u]

The further away from London the less the people contribute

[@AllanHinde-mb2pr]

@@Nicholas-ok9nocan you a house for less than £5 thousand in London? No

[@AllanHinde-mb2pr]

@@benjaminleo7011no it’s not

[@stievboyo636]

Why does Labour want to build millions of new houses when there millions empty

[@williamthomas2830]

Great point…the same can be said of the Tories…back handers from developers?

[@MrTaytersDeep]

Because immigrants want new houses

[@Al0011235813]

There are no jobs in this part of the country. But it's a good question: rather than building more houses down south, why don't we move the jobs up North where there are houses? The shortage of housing is so acute, I think, that even if we could redistribute some jobs, the house prices would rise drastically wherever we put them. But still it would help, and it would make the country more equal.

[@tonyjenkins7156]

Because it's way more expensive to take a derelict house and renovate. Nothing to do with immigration.

[@scottlaugher-flintknapping]

​@@MrTaytersDeepchange the record🙄. Britain has an aging population, without immigration the economy would tank....you want that?? Try thinking about stuff logically for a change instead of letting your hate and ignorance shine so bright🌞

[@lewisfruen5648]

Salute to the soldier/mechanic/entrepreneur Gentleman he is representing

[@Panzer4F2]

Imagine a few people like him teaming up. Incredible opportunity and potential.

[@a133m210]

hahhahaah he talks about opening a rapid vertical tanning shop as if he's a social worker/hero fixer sorting out the community! Ok so the girls can now afford a tan and that means they'll stay of the drugs and make babies now. Well done tank man

[@bobjary9382]

Yeah man, he has some good ideas and from what hes saying, if his projects make a little money he spends it or invests it in the local area. Having economic activity and having services provided to your town is good but in a lot of places that revenue is spirited away by vested interests and may benefit the shareholders of Lidl or the extended family of an entrepreneur who sees that dollar as essential to lift his dependents out of poverty in Hungary, or thr Punjab or the Philippines. which is all good but less good for the townsfolk here. My man seems to have the patience and a wealth of experience and understanding needed to make positive changes . More importantly hes there, with his family and connections having a go. Lots of folk would cash up and leave . like Maggie, they focus on the economic and ignore tbe social capital

[@Simon-xc6iy]

The sun newspaper was against the miners back in the day!!!!!!!

[@user-uh2qz1ec5m]

Well it is a tory newspaper so what do you expect

[@Storm.Z.4u]

A Labour Government closed the mines.

[@Simon-xc6iy]

@@Storm.Z.4u well it was in the 1980s that the majority of mines were closed and communities ruined, coppers being paid stupid money to brake miners heads. So Thatcher ruined working Britain. You comment with fork tongue.

[@Surv1ve_Thrive]

Big common misunderstanding about the mines. Massive politicisation by both parties. Worked with ex miners. Have no dog in either race, I respect people & truth.

[@suzannehaigh4281]

@@Storm.Z.4u What planet do you come from? It was Baggy Thatcher that closed the mines, just like she sold off all of our assets.

[@leslieelizabeth219]

We need more people like this Gentleman. Maybe communities need to work together. It’s easy for me to say this. But I mean no offence. My late father was a coal miner. We moved to OZ in the 60s. It’s so sad to see what’s happened to the North. I felt safe as a child growing up in a mining community.🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇬🇧🇦🇺

[@keithm6117]

For a council to spend £19,000 erecting a statue of a miner with its heart ripped out, gives the area an incredibly bleak outlook on it's future....

[@LICKSTERxx]

Probably soend more than that pandering to the groomers every June

[@Voting-does-nothing]

It's to mock the locals about what they did to them ......... They hate us

[@MaterLacrymarum]

It's about history. It's no different than having Nelson at Trafalgar Square.

[@cargumdeu]

i can't think of anything more likely to engender a victim mentality. They must have a huge Labour majority up there.

[@jujuUK68]

@@cargumdeu given thatcher closed the pits, took the money out the area and put nothing back, why do you think that would be?

[@smithmr1]

You know it's rough when you need to nip to the shops in a TANK!

[@flipburger6771]

kek

[@loriswafford4672]

LOOL

[@mariedavis7582]

The cats the prettiest thing about the place !!!

[@dondraper2488]

Yeah,buts it’s addicted to Mamba….

[@mandriod5255]

Thatcher tore the heart out the UK’s working communities and did not have the foresight to help replace the dignity of good honest work for a quick buck, same as she treated everything else sell sell sell one quick fix with no replacement and no rebuilding. Now we have country on its knees with nothing left to sell.

[@andrewbrown8903]

It's ironic how the clip was done by the Sun who were the biggest advocate of that inhuman bitches policies. I live in the South Wales valleys and there are plenty of villages in the same situation . 40 yrs after the conflict and the mining communities are still broken 😢

[@neilrafferty2097]

The mines were finished anyway.

[@robinburn4974]

Labour closed more mines than Thatcher or the Tories

[@Surv1ve_Thrive]

@mandriod5255 the mines could not compete, communities failed to heed, most didn't even try & give youth a chance even though retraining/training was thrown at them for decades, including after. Massively stubborn. Many short sighted about reality.

[@Storm.Z.4u]

Labour started closing the mines, and the industry was finished, long time before the Great lady came to power.

[@michaelstevens3479]

I hope things go well for the Polish lady.

[@BurtGivens]

Deport

[@Kborodo740]

In Poland you will not find estate simular to this Uk is much richer then Poland

[@mpbrooks]

@@BurtGivens j

[@BurtGivens]

@@mpbrooks ew

[@DaveCessford-tf2ws]

Looks like the lady has decided that living in Horden is better than living in Poland

[@johnpawlowski836]

Countless thousands of homeless people in this country and almost an entire town full of empty houses because neither the local council or law enforcement can be bothered , so sack every one of them , cancel their pensions and re-elect.

[@paddydoyle4234]

And you think that'll help how? It'll just create a town of scroungers who are good for nothing.

[@Storm.Z.4u]

We've just had an election and the idiots voted Labour, so things will get worse

[@drunkpaulocosta]

​@@paddydoyle4234 well you provide services and amenities to help them of course. And do weekly inspections for people coming off the street. Create the jobs that allow it to work. Don't create problems from nothing like they are going to prevent change. You did it with Australia you can do it with UK. Don't be so daft

[@drunkpaulocosta]

As in you can start an entire nation of people from criminals. Who are actually better people than the English are these days

[@Storm.Z.4u]

@@drunkpaulocosta There are plenty of jobs available, it's just that the Benefits system makes living on benefits an appealing option

[@cultfiction3865]

I dont live too far from Horden. Its not too bad at all. You get used to the environment you are in. As long as you've got some good friendly locals around, you are laughing

[@jamesaustralian9829]

Home is where you make it.

[@tellmemore8837]

But are they laughing?

[@colineaston6305]

❤I am 87 years of age an fought for this country. I am now disabled and cannot understand the present state of the country. Not what it was when I was young ?

[@darrenturner8913]

Thankyou Sir. I can't imagine how heartbreaking it must be, to have fought, genuinely, for ones country and it's freesoms - only to see the sad, sorry, state of it today... 💔🙏

[@loriswafford4672]

“We fought the wrong enemy” - Gen George Patton, Berlin 1945

[@rabbiswhy]

Bald and Bankrupt walked thru this hood.

[@number6ix929]

With Backpacker Ben.

[@itsbrilliant-bt8sv]

Jesus... switching on KZbin is so bloody depressing sometimes.

[@user-dn9kk9qu5y]

THATS WHY YOU HAVE PINTREST I LOOK AT THE NICE PLACES TO BALANCE OUT THE DEPRESSION LOL THEN AFTER I HAVE TO SWITCH OFF THE LAPTOP AND STAIR AT MY MISSES FACE THEN IM DEPRESSED AGAIN LOLITS A VICIOUS CYCLE

[@itsbrilliant-bt8sv]

@@user-dn9kk9qu5y Ha ha... At least I'm avoiding the last bit of that torment these days. 🤣

[@420fpv8]

Private money in the uk is the only money the govt will spend. They don’t believe in giving money directly to people, it has to go through a privatisation scheme first. London property has to double every 10-15 like it has done for 1000 years. We use every penny possible from every resource possible to make that happen. We’d still own an entire oil industry if London didn’t sell it off. The neo-liberal state of the uk is coming hard and fast. Terrifying.

[@ebrahimkarolia9509]

Blame the tories for selling everything off, not liberals.

[@ouroborosirvington]

Well that was depressing

[@alwoo5645]

Its incredible the problem of closing all the mines caused still 40 years on .

[@Storm.Z.4u]

the mines is just an excuse, the world has moved on from people being sent underground to dig for coal

[@craigrothwell6144]

Todays youngsters would never work down the mines anyway, The would get dirty!

[@Storm.Z.4u]

Things move on.

[@nathanmiller9632]

@@craigrothwell6144we would believe me, if they opened the pits or the shipyards again you'd get loads of lads up here on it

[@Storm.Z.4u]

@@nathanmiller9632 There are lots of more appealing jobs available, why don't they take those?

[@stuartfitch7093]

This just proves what I've been saying for a long time, that the housing problem in this country is just as much about location and it's a consequence of not levelling up as it is about the actual number of houses. My own northern town is gradually going more and more the same way. There are houses that are boarded up that they can't sell or rent. I bought my own 3 bedroom semi detached house on a single person mortgage for £70k but if it was transplanted as is to London it would probably be worth about £800k. It has a 70ft long driveway, a detached garage, is about 1500sq ft because it is a large 50s built semi. My monthly mortgage payments are £250. This is because local housing demand is very low because it is a town that is in the top third of England's most deprived towns. We get one third less the government investment per capita than the average. In recent years according to a recent study, we've lost 23% of all bus services. In the town itself there are no professional, high quality jobs. It is all low paid, manual jobs working in factories on production lines for the minimum/living wage. All this means that people from the outside don't see my town as a place to come to make a good life for themselves and raise a family. In addition to this you get all the local born children like my own neice who is starting at university this year studying Medical Research, when she has graduated she will move to one of our already overcrowded cities to take up that kind of job. That means we loose another one of our own children. So the town is gradually dying. The average person is older. The local employers are finding it harder and harder to recruit anyone because of the bizarre combination of low wages and not enough people applying for jobs. So then you have this bizarre situation in the country where you have such as Bristol where people with decent paid jobs are living by the kerbside in a caravan because they cant afford the ridiculous local rents or even find anywhere to live to start with because 30 people are all fighting over the same flat to rent out at £2k per month whilst on my own town the average rent across all types of accommodation is £600pcm. This is probably why despite people around the country saying there's a big shortage of housing and despite planning permission has been in place for years to build 6000 new homes on the edge of the town I live in, shovels have not yet broken dirt. They can't even find a developer willing to take the job on. So what is the point in building 6000 new homes in a town where many of the existing houses cant be sold? There is no point even if there is a nationwide housing shortage. My belief is that if the good, well paid jobs were more evenly spread across the entire country then the people would spread out more and the existing housing we have could be used in a lot better way instead of having a large percentage of our population are trying to cram into just a small number of cities.

[@Storm.Z.4u]

Leveling up is not possible when some prefer not to work and live on benefits, often generation after generation, so it's impossible for them to be the same as people who work hard and make a success in life.

[@utv5490]

Of course it's possible the problem is with the rich not putting in not the poor taking out. Blokes like you will always serve their perceived masters. Look where it's got you!!

[@suzannehaigh4281]

Thank you Thatcher, what a magnificent women. Could these not be "done up" for the homeless, thousands on the streets of Britain that are good honest people.

[@Storm.Z.4u]

Homeless is a lifestyle choice. And alcoholics and Junkies are far from "Good honest people"

[@freedomf1ght3r-l9i]

Give a alcoholic or smackhead a house, what are you on😂😂😂

[@goldeneagle99]

​@@Storm.Z.4u go away

[@thedigitalemotion]

She was a brilliant and strong leader, the likes of what we need now., fool.

[@Storm.Z.4u]

@@thedigitalemotion She was exactly the sort of leader we need today, to sort out the immigrants and the feckless lazy ponces.

[@londonbabe2467]

Homes are cheap in these dumps because no normal hard working person don’t want to live there

[@thedonpascoe728]

You got Romanians in the hotels and all them free houses. How slow are the leaders of England. Simple logic.

[@seriousoldman8997]

Yep, you are simple.

[@thedonpascoe728]

@@seriousoldman8997 like your mum

[@Storm.Z.4u]

But the houses don't have the facilities they need such as Air Conditioning and restaurants

[@thedonpascoe728]

@@Storm.Z.4u 🤣🤣 very true

[@utv5490]

Storm, shouldnt you be slagging Jay Slater's Mom as usual? Anyway glad to see you have made a friend. Maybe you can meet each other and do a line together. Now they've arrested that Holly Willoughby guy there will be no suspicious eyes on you.

[@novo6462]

You know you're talking to a real gentleman when hes into Tanks and Cats!

[@thomashunter5707]

Another example of broken Britain 😢😢😢😢😢😢I hope the new government is watching this I hope they are prepared to do something this is the tip of the iceberg

[@roberts7961]

Labour won't do anything here, Vote Labour Vote Islam

[@isobelmiddleton6353]

I wouldn't hold my breath

[@Storm.Z.4u]

Starmer is the Immigrants friend, he would rather spend £1,000 on an immigrant than a Tenner on a brit

[@utv5490]

I think that is your solution. Stop giving the immigrants money and give the Brits a tenner. You hate immigrants, hate the needy and are full of self-loathing. DO NOT GIVE ADVICE TO ANYONE

[@johndawson8806]

its not a new government havent you woken up yet? its the uni party they are all the same nothing ever changes

[@HouseOldSkoolRaver]

Spending all the money on foreigners.

[@Storm.Z.4u]

At least they work

[@codswallop164]

@Storm.Z.4u Unfortunately for you're pretentious self, statistically only ethnic Chinese outdo white British in these regards.

[@HouseOldSkoolRaver]

@@Storm.Z.4u do they? 500 Somalians in the local hotel never seen any of them work just take.

[@susanwestern6434]

​@@Storm.Z.4uIllegally working in food delivery.

[@Icneumone7]

​@@Storm.Z.4u most asylum seekers Insee in London spend their days in the café with their 6 wives and multiple children. All day long, all they do is shopping, spend their benefits. Meanwhile British born work 12 hour shifts to pay for their benefits.

[@victory2115]

The council should be ashamed of themselves, they charge the highest tax rate in the country but invest very little back in. They constantly refuse to demolish the old streets and replace them.

[@Storm.Z.4u]

But very few pay it due to benefits

[@gogovideo10]

An old friend of mine‘s parents own and rent a home out there, and quite frankly I think it gets a worse rap than it deserves. It’s definitely not the nicest place I’ve ever been to but it’s also no worse than most of County Durham. It suffers from the same problems that the rest of the county has. I know the city is quite affluent, but outside of the city you’re hard pressed to find an affluent area outside of a few pockets owned by royals and rich landowners. One thing that’s disappointing to see is the business owner who’s saying there’s nothing there for kids, instead of highlighting all the great things he himself is doing for kids and the people of Horden.

[@nr24130]

It's not all bad news. At least when The Tank Commander is not fixing his vehicles, he gets to be play real life monopoly with all the vacant premises!

[@slaz1966]

Now there’s a true entrepreneur with a social conscious - well done Sir !!

[@Kari_B61ex]

Shocking and likely to get worse now that Miliband has immediately stopped new licenses for North Sea drilling.

[@Dusty357]

Yes but the is a lot more to it then the stopping of northsea drilling for gas n oil exploration

[@theworldaccordingto4555]

14 years of Tory austerity and Putting Public Money Into Private Pockets... They fleeced £billions during the pandemic. And brexit is costing us billions in lost money. It's disaster vulture capitalism.

[@Surv1ve_Thrive]

My goodness they have him in that role? Spineless

[@jjefferyworboys8138]

@@Dusty357 Not for those licences previously sold. If the government tried to stop those it would face a hugely expensive legal challenge.

[@Dusty357]

@@jjefferyworboys8138 couldn't really give a toss about Licensing been granted for what ever oil or gas fields if you were from Northeast England then you would understand what and were am coming from gas n oil exploration is the least of this areas problems pal .

[@mike89128]

Pits were closed all over the UK 40 years ago. Also happens in other countries as younger generations and policy makers see coal as a 'dirty' fuel. Boys often left school at 16 to go into the mines, thinking they had a forever job with the Miners Union backing them up. It was not to be. Then 4000 miners in this town went on welfare because they lacked education and marketable skills in other crafts and trades. In the US these towns are called 'one industry towns'. And when mills and plants close, they lose their jobs and wind up moving or taking any job they can find. Gary and Detroit come to mind.

[@Storm.Z.4u]

40 years ago, you'd think they'd have moved on by now, instead of using that old lame excuse, no one would want to work down a pit in the modern world.

[@shhwinner6663]

yet in Australia miners are paid $100000 a year!

[@paddydoyle4234]

​@@shhwinner6663 Australia is 32 times larger than England, and hasn't been mined for millennia, yet has a fraction of the population. The truth is, these towns aren't pulling their weight, they don't know how to create or innovate, just cry and ask for hand outs.

[@Storm.Z.4u]

@@shhwinner6663 So they are underpaid to do a dangerous / dirty job, Perhaps they should have worked harder at school

[@nathanmiller9632]

@@Storm.Z.4uclueless

[@megaflux7144]

do the cops do literally nothing?

[@AbandonEarth911]

40 years ago they where bashing miners.

[@vernongoodey5096]

The Park looked nice!

[@darrenkeenan614]

Sorry too burst your bubble but it's pretty much like this in most English, Scottish towns and cities nowadays I live in a small English town and it's rife with drug use and never any police about

[@robertbest4398]

Shocking what governments have done to these places closed everything left nothing

[@robertbest4398]

Deprivation shocking on british governments

[@11baggio11111]

Only turning to Jesus can really bring us contentment and satisfaction. Drugs won’t do it. You will never ever have enough drugs. It’s always one more go. Turn to Jesus, and He does satisfy. Your soul will be complete. Jesus is the way the truth and the life.

[@Icneumone7]

When you defund a whole country to support the utopian dream of multicultural London. I am not British, but I feel so bad for British people being abandoned and ostracized by their government.

[@katieMarie2022]

The people up North by large is not lazy. They are very hard working people. The gentleman already stated they were a mining village but of cause all the mines were closed down, which was not their fault also further up the coast Whitely Bay like many others the fishing industry was shut down. I've travelled the world and all over the U.K and London has thousands out of work not just the North. Investments? I've many investments in properties and didn't have to be in London as there is plenty of investment in the North. Instead of insulting Northerners try some education my dear.

[@Macfromwales]

They are deliberately causing this, you are ALL being socially engineered by a superior intelligence to ensure a traditional backlash. Wake up f f s guys, enough is enough

[@paddydoyle4234]

​@@katieMarie2022 funny you say education, you've still got people crying over the pit closures 40 years ago, maybe its them that should of looked into education.

[@katieMarie2022]

@@paddydoyle4234 Indeed Einstein, they're 80 years old now or maybe you should try the bogs of Ireland.

[@paddydoyle4234]

@@katieMarie2022 the irish are no better off, most play the victim, its why scousers are so good at it as well, lazy entitled victims.

[@emscott2705]

Well done to the tank restorer boss for helping create some businesses - salon, dance studio etc and a sense of normality. ❤

[@Fraggerz]

i'm guessing horden is a labour council?

[@Mat-kr1nf]

Well I can tell you about Morecambe’s Tory MP, at least, he was, until the other week when thankfully, a wonderful, hard working, caring Labour MP took over. David Morris, known by his fellow MPs as “Air Miles Morris”, takes every opportunity to go off on tax payers jollies that have no bearing whatsoever on his constituency. He also had one of the highest expense accounts and perhaps, the most damning, whenever anybody wrote a comment on his Facebook page that was even ever so slightly criticising of him or Tory policies, he banned them, hence the “Banned by David Morris” Facebook group, which had (its now called something else) over a thousand members! He used to claim there was no poverty in Morecambe, the school was lying about there being rickets, the food banks were against him and full of grasping, cheating people who didn’t need to use them. He was atrocious, absolutely unbelievable. He was MP of Morecambe and Lunesdale, Lunesdale being a very rich area, many, many millionaires. Well, of course, you never, ever saw him in Morecambe, he was all over the people of Lunesdale though, like a rash!🤢They we’re the ones who were supporting him, funding him. He didn’t even have his office in Morecambe, it was in the nearby town of Lancaster, a different constituency, a really good Labour woman, Cat Smith. That meant the poverty stricken people of Morecambe couldn’t afford the bus fare to see him, not that he would help them anyway. That’s your Tory council for you!☹️🧐🥺

[@deangray333]

Yep no guessing it’s obvious

[@AbandonEarth911]

Do you think the Tories give a Toss about former mining communities. Labour Liberal Reform or Tory it still ends up the same old worn out Story.

[@johnchapman6013]

Yes , because Labour party know , the 🐑🐑🐑 will vote Labour again , and again , And next time .

[@rrstows3522]

No it is not , Durham is run by a Tory coalition of north east party independent .that have left the east coast of Durham south of seaham to rot. 😢 Come the election next may this group of self serving councilers out and return to labour control.

[@v1m7o65]

I guarantee he don't pay tax.

[@Storm.Z.4u]

Do any Northerners?

[@neilrafferty2097]

People who live there bear a huge responsibility,also.

[@AbandonEarth911]

Give your head a shake.

[@neilrafferty2097]

@@AbandonEarth911 Feeling sorry for themselves for over 40 years?

[@AbandonEarth911]

@@neilrafferty2097 No they face living in the reality of life in a system which puts money/profit first. In parts of County Durham life is far different for some people.

[@Storm.Z.4u]

@@AbandonEarth911 The system is the same for all, being feckless, workshy & living off benefits is unlikely to better ones self, but then they don't want to.

[@nathanmiller9632]

@@Storm.Z.4uwork shy? There's no graft for them to go to for miles 🤣

[@MrTerraposse]

An industry smashed by the Tories, a community abandoned, a culture extinguished, and behind this the siren cheerleaders of the vandals - Murdoch empire and the Sun.

[@texaspapa9445]

The place is parade compared to San Francisco

[@juliegranzow8450]

Funny how I didn't see one drug addict in this video

[@chachi9945]

It’s daytime they are all locked away in their dens. Wait till the sun goes down.

[@rigamortice]

A Labour stronghold

[@thenorco75]

This is what a liebour council does to an area.😢

[@luisinhocuenta9496]

No. It's not. This is the result of underfunding of councils. By the good Torie party.

[@a13xdunlop]

Tory, Labour, no difference, two sides of the samecoin

[@Storm.Z.4u]

They put immigrants and foreigners above Native British People

[@alwoo5645]

Who closed the mines

[@Censorshift]

@@alwoo5645who continued the decline over the years. I’d argue this started before Maggie and then got progressively worse since with no help from either of the main parties

[@insertnamehere5146]

Labour in action. we will all be like that when Labour takes our money via taxes and pensions and gives it to the new people coming in from abroad

[@Storm.Z.4u]

Sadly true

[@rrstows3522]

Bull ,it's the Tories coalition that runs co, Durham council get your facts right

[@insertnamehere5146]

@@rrstows3522 how about you look a little further than your 10th birthday.!! these places have been neglected for 50 years under the Tories and your best buddies the labour party.

[@GrooverRPM]

Nice to see the salt of the earth being interviewed, proper folk. We have the same issues here in the South Wales valley's.

[@pennypierce6511]

When there is no hope, this is what happens...

[@Macfromwales]

They are deliberately causing this, you are ALL being socially engineered by a superior intelligence to ensure a traditional backlash. Wake up f f s guys, enough is enough

[@Storm.Z.4u]

Hope is for the hopelss

[@jjefferyworboys8138]

@@Storm.Z.4u Very true, blame anyone but themselves.

[@jjefferyworboys8138]

There is always a route out, only the hopeless and those who prey on them stay.

[@Macfromwales]

@@jjefferyworboys8138 if you are not an active force in your own life, you are a passive force in someone else's plan

[@davidwaterhouse2552]

What a shame to see this, unfortunately it is not an isolated case. I live in Manchester but I spend every Summer on the East Coast of England from East Yorkshire up to Northumberland and the Scottish borders, and it has some of the best beaches/scenery/ hospitable folk you could ever wish to meet! What the hell happened to 'Levelling up', this is a broken town, so sad to see. Much Investment needed ! dx

[@carolluvsmusic2092]

Am from Berwick upon tweed beautiful part of the world moved away 1987 x

[@chriswild2458]

Kinnock sold out the miners as well

[@Storm.Z.4u]

Scargil and the unions closed the mines

[@markjones4704]

no national ballot for 84/85 strike local/area ballots only

[@campbellblack6605]

What came first? The dodgy roads or the tank.

[@cherylparker8025]

Councils should buy all these houses and renovate them give them to homeless

[@afanporsaber]

And attract more corporatives to give well paid jobs.

[@electronicmail3020]

If you renovate it I can't buy it because it will be to expensive. I don't own a home yet.

[@cherylparker8025]

@@afanporsaber and encourage and support small business development, use local trades people to renovate those houses

[@K1lostream]

There’s no point - all they’d do is take all the renovated stuff and sell it to buy drugs.

[@Ziaurelijus]

They’re to busy giving illegals

[@JamesRodriguez-lj5xk]

From $37K to $45K that's the minimum range of profit return every week I thinks it's not a bad one for me, now I have enough to pay bills and take care of my family.

[@MarryMichael-l1u]

Excuse me for real?,how is that possible I have struggling financially, how was that possible?

[@JamesRodriguez-lj5xk]

Thanks to Elizabeth Marie Hawley.

[@JamesRodriguez-lj5xk]

Though I started with as low as $15,000 actually because it was my first time and it was successful, She's is a great personality in the states

[@PedroValencia-br3sl]

YES!!! That's exactly her name (Elizabeth Maria Hawley) so many people have recommended highly about her and am just starting with her 😊 from Brisbane Australia🇦🇺

[@VssgGsggsd]

I have heard a lot of wonderful things about Elizabeth Maria Hawley on the news but didn't believe it until now. I'm definitely trying her out

[@donna9374]

Totally abandoned Once thriving honest communities Godbless them❤

[@JimTimber]

Good idea to restore military vehicles in a place like that ! Such a shame that the town is so down on its knees ! I wish the residents all the best.. my family are from that nearby area.. moved south for work back in the 1950's.

[@jennyj0007]

why did you move? Why didn't you stay to fix your city?

[@AD-gi9zg]

@@jennyj0007 When you have the offer of work and a better life elsewhere, it could be the best thing, particularly if you have a family. His family moved in the 1950s. At that time, the mines were operational. The town had not declined to this state.

[@omearavictoria]

We need to stop relying on the government and be more invested in our areas. The difference when the community all pull together and take pride in their area.

[@ant7936]

Prefect! A ready made town for our visitors- it's a sh.th.le already.

[@markpirie1986]

😮 oh please 🙏🏻 come up to Aberdeen Scotland UK, and see the state of the so called offshore industry developments that the council has left unique area's such as Torry, Northfield, Tillydrone, Mastrick, Summer Hill, Manor walk, langstracht Road, and Seaton.

[@basicconcepts1d]

Aberdeen has gone to wrac and ruin. Especially Torry!!!!!

[@davidfannan3505]

what they failed to say is that the 5k houses are gutted every wire and pipe pulled out

[@euskryhtbnfvse4i7ehs4hnvf]

And they're auction start prices. Nobody is buying a home for 5 bags.

[@davidfannan3505]

@@euskryhtbnfvse4i7ehs4hnvf i live here you can get a gd one for 30k

[@Storm.Z.4u]

So the Locals have stolen the wires and pipes, then complain that they are tatty and no one wants to move there, best just leave them to it.

[@tracysmith-yv5lt]

most places declined shut the mines down it was good in stoke once sold it all to make it cheaper in China pottery. Why are there so many fancy barber shops about??

[@unusedsub3003]

The UK is grim 💀💀💀

[@Edward1312]

Some parts are grim other parts are very affluent and very beautiful. The difference can be like night and day. Makes you wonder sometimes how it is possible they are on the same continent, let alone the same small island. Politicians are to blame for letting this happen.

[@sirloin8745]

Homes cost *as* little as . . . The Sun and its’ quality journos? 🤦‍♂️

[@staffiemama]

It's grim up North.

[@user-ly2mt1bg5e]

TRULY SHOCKING

[@normiedeathsquad40]

These places have been voting labour forever. This is a picture of the future of this country.

[@clivemortimore8203]

Labour have been in power for one week and look what has happening.

[@AbandonEarth911]

Give the Tories a chance they have only had 14years.

[@Rizzlez169]

Mate it’s the tories fault cos they shut down the coal mines

[@Storm.Z.4u]

@@Rizzlez169 Correction, Labour closed the mines, the Tory's simply finished the closure program.

[@longshanks1978]

Labour and tories dont give a crap about this ,it will never change ,20 years from now these towns will be 90% african towns

[@SoberOKMoments]

The Pandemic taught everyone we are able to work at home. Corporations could buy up these kinds of homes for their employees to buy back from them and set up working communities there once again. We hear all the time about the housing shortages, but there are communities like this all over some very beautiful places in the North of the Country. I rented a completely rennovated home right on the North Sea in one of them. A view beyond compare! Hoping the powers that be will start thinking outside the box!

[@loriswafford4672]

Right! A great place for introverts who can work remotely!

[@peternufc1981]

Imagine what its goig to be like in another 20 year’s time its bad now

[@SteveSmith-kd9if]

There's not going to be another 20 years from now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@gohumberto]

They shut down the one industry and never thought to replace it with another. You need a policy whereby, if you close down an industry, you open another industry up. For example, how many Government offices are there in London, occupying buildings that could be sold for millions/billions. Use that money to move the work to these places. There's housing stock waiting, brown-field sites, and a population desperate for decent employment. There's practically no excuse, given the price of property, to have many Government admin centres, within 50 miles of London. Salford "Media City" is a great example of what can happen if you move middle-class jobs out to the regions.

[@encoreunefois1X]

Is this a so-called Red Wall constituency the Tories promised to level up?

[@tomjones8715]

You ever been there?

[@encoreunefois1X]

@@tomjones8715 Nope, that's why I'm asking.

[@tomjones8715]

@@encoreunefois1X it’s the people that live there that are the issue not the tories.

[@encoreunefois1X]

@@tomjones8715 Interesting perspective. Who should we ask to go and live there instead?

[@tomjones8715]

@@encoreunefois1X no one! It needs levelling. The properties are too old for future habitation. Strange that half a mile up the road in peterlee people can find work.

[@mihailaurentiu5050]

The most depressive thing I ever seen in my life!Even to live there for free,be payed ,I am not gonna stay there!!!!

[@Charlie3vans]

Opening a tanning shop in a dump like that is a brave move

[@Storm.Z.4u]

Must be a demand

[@louisemorgan3237]

Front

[@basicconcepts1d]

​@@louisemorgan3237 Along with a Turkish Barber and a Kebab shop.

[@kevintravis5123]

a lot of the locals said ..oh i may have to travel to find work... get on ya bike ffs

[@BleachDemon99]

She sounds local

[@markweir1541]

This is meant to be (GREAT BRITAIN) what has these people in charge done with our country, to let it come to this,😢

[@dimatraveler]

Бродяга на каяке, реально выживаю на необитаемых и тропических островах Привет из Индонезии от канала Dima traveler 👋🙂🏝

[@AD-gi9zg]

That sounds great. X

[@laurasparkles8090]

People in Horden need to get over the pits closing. It was 30 years ago. Yes it was devastating at the time but it's time to move on. People just dont want to work. There's not many villages with jobs these days..Horden is close enough to Durham, Sunderland, Stockton etc. My husband is originally from Horden, i moved there 14 years ago and we never had issues getting jobs, we both now have decent paying jobs and are quite comfortable. There's stuff for kids to do there the cricket ground, football plenty clubs etc around if you look for them! If they get rid of the numbered streets, Horden will be so much nicer. I've never felt threatened walking around Horden night or day! 99% people I've met are decent people.

[@Storm.Z.4u]

The 1% you say are not decent people certainly seem to have a huge effect on the place, unless of course your numbers are wrong.

[@roxeys_reality_check]

There is plenty of work for people who want to train as plumbers, electricals and household maintenance, there seems to be short supply here, you have got to want to do it and be motivated, not just say there are no jobs and not bother applying.

[@earlbee3196]

Growing up, we had a youth centre and the local church put on a youth disco every Saturday night. Just saying.

[@Storm.Z.4u]

They'd smash the place up and steal the DJ equipment up there nowadays

[@earlbee3196]

@@Storm.Z.4u oh, I see.

[@rhyssimms591]

Where I’m from in the South Wales valleys, we go there on holiday.

[@Storm.Z.4u]

Labour again

[@waffle6652]

That cat is cool

[@CarlHarris-ey2rx]

It this in King's Lynn? I will not be at all surprised in all fairness!

[@nathanmiller9632]

Durham mate

[@Storm.Z.4u]

And people say there's a housing shortage, plenty of cheap stuff there!

[@andrewholdaway813]

But no jobs

[@Storm.Z.4u]

@@andrewholdaway813 As most of them don't work that's not an issue. If someones on the dole they may as well live in a £10k house up North than a £500k property in the South

[@electronicmail3020]

​​​@@andrewholdaway813I can drive car and I can ride (rusty) upto 600cc motorbike, and now there's ebike. Now depends on what job makes me happy. I just need my ROA and a place to be available to buy without jumping through hoops. hoops, such as it doesn't exist or they are picking who they sell to. Such as making hard to buy and telling me I don't want it when I want it and have the finances for it. And I'm above house buying age and poor enough not to be situated/purchasing in high populated areas. I bring, age, peace, education and modernization.

[@andrewholdaway813]

@@Storm.Z.4u Them?

[@dannykennion8738]

@@Storm.Z.4u If they filled those houses with dole homeless men it's only going to increase drug demand and crime

[@Bebedollie]

If u have 5 or 6 pitbulls for guard dogs and big high fences and someone who likes staying home 🏡 all the time . Ur house will be safe !! And a house alarm system and cameras all around the house.

[@alzeNL]

heartbreaking to see, wish there was a simple solution, but its a complex mix - those houses look a diamond in the mud. Hoping for a better future for us all.

[@letsdiscussitoversometea8479]

There - *_IS_* - a better solution!!! People not being DELIBERATELY prevented from exercising their inalienable rights in some form or another. See? Doing literally NOTHING at all, actively SOLVES the problem! Therefore, the problem is now very, *very* obvious.

[@ncrongendov733]

Well done, Maggie. Because ‘coal from Chile’ is cheaper. But not when you factor in the destruction of mining communities and the resultant social costs. And all because her evil ego hated the Unions- the only protection from exploitation the working man or woman has. Sick

[@spudspuddy]

then put the dingy immigrants in these empty £5 houses we don't need to build anymore on farm land

[@rickoshea1027]

No do not put them here.

[@255gmoney]

All that town needs is investor to put up a manufacturing plant or a processing warehouse(give that investor a few tax breaks) which can employ at least 500 local people on the minimum,I dare say the transformation will be significant...

[@misssusan1066]

Labour council I bet .

[@rrstows3522]

No unfortunately ,it's a Tory coalition that runs co Durham unfortunately, they have left the east coast to rot , they only look after most rich areas

[@RebelsInc969]

There is no such thing as "Road Tax" it does NOT go on the roads it is a TAX on you because you own a luxury item ie a car !!

[@Storm.Z.4u]

A car is not a Luxury.

[@n.w.414]

Time for someone to pour some money into this place, make it safe again and livable. Maybe a good project for homing the homeless. Get some stores, coffee shops back, to help employ people. @attn Prince William.

[@paddydoyle4234]

What world do you live in?

[@Storm.Z.4u]

They get enough money in their benefits

[@utv5490]

​@@Storm.Z.4uHow do you know what money they get and how much is enough?

[@loriswafford4672]

He doesn’t care about poor areas

[@Peace.Love.Psychedelics]

19 grand would be better off opening a food bank.

[@afanporsaber]

Government is not working to solve the problems, is working to keep the power.

[@eryljones2780]

The irony is, it's news papers like 'THE SUN' that have aided in the despair and downfall of this Country and its people

[@HULLDUDE666]

Sad really, hold the local council to account, it's their job to attract private investment and reinvent former mining/fishing towns like this, just one company moving into an area can make a big difference.

[@Storm.Z.4u]

They've got a bloke playing with tanks, what else do you want

[@chrysalis4126]

Do you feel like investing in that area? And bear in mind areas with few workers means less council tax coming in to "reinvent" areas.

[@Storm.Z.4u]

Why would a company move there, the locals are clearly workshy and feckless

[@rrstows3522]

Next election is next may , this Tory coalition that runs Durham council, needs all kicking out. Return to labour control

[@jonnyfungus]

The place is a dump and looks rough but not dangerous. Try going into Middlesbrough town centre. Now that place is off the scale rough

[@carolramsey6287]

Plenty of vacant accommodation crying out for cultural enrichment.

[@drunkpaulocosta]

Wait england does crack now? When the fick did that happen. Im Aussie so we dont even have crack here. I thought that was just an American thing

[@R8V10]

Cracks been here since the 80’s.

[@davidmellish3295]

Cracks been here for over 40 years, Australia has a lot less drugs than America and Europe cause its a lot harder to smuggle too. Also they're a lot less people in Australia, so a much smaller market so a lot less profit. That's why drugs are 2 or 3 times the cost in Australia than in Europe or the USA

[@Surv1ve_Thrive]

@davidmellish3295 Australia had a bigger issue than the UK with speed 80s/90s. Was everywhere I was told, was in press too. Then later meth as similar manufacturing process. But thankfully not heard meth is such an epidemic.

[@davidmellish3295]

@Surv1ve_Thrive yeah but speed is just a cheap drug easily manufactured with no need to smuggle as its made in house. The real profits are in heroin and cocaine and with Australia being so far, being so hard to smuggle too and the fact there are more people in London than in the whole of Australia, it doesn't make it an attractive market,hard to get to,not many people. Not worth the hassle, the cartels make much more in North America and Europe

[@Surv1ve_Thrive]

@davidmellish3295 yep all true. Some of the speed was made/sold by Aus biker gangs etc I heard. Domestic.