The North East is the most deprived part of the UK on most metrics and the town of Horden in County Durham is one of the most destitute parts of the region. Tom Burgess visited the town to see the notorious Numbered Avenues and meet some of the people living there.

When I told people I would be visiting Horden I was met with shock, with some even going so far as to suggest I should take a ‘stab vest’ with me.

Travelling up, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect with images of boarded-up houses and gangs of youths roaming the streets coming to mind.

I was shocked when I pulled up outside the parish council hall and was confronted with the sight of an immaculate football pitch, a pristine cricket pitch, and the sounds of children having fun in a nearby park.

All of my preconceived ideas of what Horden would be like from my research of previous articles were quickly shattered.

(Image: Northern Echo)

I was met by Frank Leadbitter, the 81-year-old chairman of the parish council, before going on a stroll through the local park.

Talking to Frank it quickly became clear how much he loved the people of the town, and they loved him back - everyone we passed stopped to say hello and to ask how he was doing.

We walked through the Horden Welfare Park and I was shown ‘Marra’ the statue of a former miner with his heart torn out through his chest.

(Image: Chris Booth)

Frank told me that the town had never recovered when the mines closed between the 50s and 60s, forcing people to leave the town and find work elsewhere.

He acknowledges there are a number of problems with the town, including row upon row of houses left empty and vandalised on Numbered Avenues.

The 81-year-old said: “We are a proud people. The people of Horden are the salt of the Earth. They have put up with everything and they still come out smiling.

“Margaret Thatcher is when things started going downhill and things have not recovered.

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“We are realistic, we know there is not much money around but it is frustrating when people say ridiculous things comparing Horden to Beirut city.

“The Numbered Avenues should be demolished and a school should be built instead. We came up with a plan that 74% of people in town agreed with.

“We need some funding and we could really improve this town. The people are fantastic and they deserve it.”

Frank led me past two busy playgrounds, one for juniors and one for older children, before we arrived at the Horden Heritage Centre and Vintage Tea Room.

(Image: Northern Echo)

It was packed with people trying to catch the ear of the, clearly popular, parish council chairman but he waved them away and we found a table at the back.

I discussed the research I had done on the town before making the trip up and he quickly told me of his frustration at how the town has been presented in national media.

He explained that reporters had come up and seen the better sides of Horden but solely focused on the Numbered Avenues.

After finishing our cups of tea, I was ushered upstairs to have a quick look at the Heritage Centre which is free to visit.

The mining history of the town has been proudly displayed from a recreation of an old kitchen stove to memorabilia from the miners' strikes.

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Walking back towards the football field past the bowling green and cricket field in the sunshine it felt impossible to tar Horden with the brush of being a hopeless case filled with empty homes.

Frank drove me around the Numbered Avenues and they were shocking. Almost every door and window was boarded up or fenced off.

Some had fake windows and doors bolted onto the boards to give the street the appearance of being inhabited.

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Frank told me that he walks every street in the town and the vast majority of locals want to see the Numbered Avenues demolished.

When I returned to have another look after Frank had left me it was hard to shake a feeling of unease walking around them alone.

I spotted one other person, an old lady, walking ahead of me with her head down, clearly trying to get out of the area as quickly as she could.

There is so much more to Horden than those streets, Frank showed me a tank restoration shop and the new railway station people can park at for free.

(Image: Northern Echo)

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It is clear there is such a strong sense of pride and belonging in the community of Horden and they are crying out for help regenerating the area.

Durham County Council are "fully committed" to the Horden Masterplan and in January they agreed to invest £6m into properties on Third Street either to demolish or refurbish them.

I left the town with a buoyed feeling of hope.

Too many former mining towns in the North East feel left behind, but if they all have someone like Frank Leadbitter, there might still be a chance of a regional revival.