RESIDENTS are planning to form a human chain around homes threatened with demolition.

People living in the St Hilda's neighbourhood of Middlesbrough could block roads and bridges leading into the area today.

This is in protest at plans to move out St Hilda's remaining 300 residents and move in bulldozers in the near future to raze 279 houses, 89 of which are empty. It is proposed to incorporate the site into the £500m Middlehaven master plan to redevelop Middlesbrough's old dockland.

Harry Brown, chairman of a residents' action committee, said some residents had misgivings over taking action, blocking roads - but were determined to fight for their homes.

He said: "We want to stay within the law, we don't want to go outside it. All we want to do is bring to the notice of people that people have lived in St Hilda's all their lives. They have their rights.

"Some have bought their houses and if their homes are demolished the mortgages will still have to be paid."

He added: "There are some people who want to move out of the area. The vandalism is horrendous. And we have not been getting the police cover or help to control it. To me that implies a hidden agenda."

He said it was not only the residents who stood to lose out - but workers in the industrial area of St Hilda's.

Preliminary work has started on obtaining compulsory purchase orders to buy up property in the industrial area. Middlesbrough Mayor Ray Mallon told a meeting of residents last month that their houses would be coming down.

Resident Henry Woodier, 68, said: "They should not be putting people out of their homes. He is not going to get us out."

Deputy Mayor of Middlesbrough, Councillor Bob Brady denied there was a hidden agenda, but that plans for Middlehaven have been discussed for years, when demolition was always an option.

"I can understand a change of this magnitude is bound to bring discomfort.

"But I think there are a lot of people who are very happy to leave St Hilda's.

"Some are not, but our priority is to make sure that the people who get displaced get the best deal possible in terms of rehousing, disturbance and homeless allowance."