A COUNCIL is promising to end the suffering of residents by knocking down properties targeted by arsonists.

There has been a spate of attacks on empty houses on Darlington's Firth Moor estate during the past six months.

Darlington Borough Council is systematically demolishing the properties as part of the planned regeneration of the estate, but residents have voiced concerns about the amount of time it is taking.

Firefighters have been called to Firth Moor on numerous occasions to put out blazes in empty properties.

In the latest incident, last Saturday morning, two houses in Cringlemoor Crescent, were damaged by fire.

Although the houses are secured with metal shutters, vandals are still getting inside and starting fires.

However, there is light at the end of the tunnel for residents, with the announce- ment that the remaining empty properties, 32 houses, will be demolished over the next few weeks.

A spokesman for Darlington council said: "We are very grateful to residents for their patience during the demolition programme.

"We have taken all reasonable steps to secure the properties, but if people are determined to get into them, there is little we can do."

Bill Cook, chairman of the Firth Moor Community Partnership, has criticised the people who are hampering the regeneration of the estate.

"Ninety nine per cent of people on Firthmoor are sick and tired of houses being set on fire by people who are not trying to help the estate, but wreck it," he said.

More than 200 houses on Firth Moor have already been bulldozed.

The demolition work is in anticipation of a five-year, multi-million pound regeneration scheme for the estate