BULLDOZERS have moved in on a line of terraced houses which families spent five years trying to save.

Demolition work on the row of 19 homes in Eaton Street, Northwood, is underway with plans pencilled in to replace them with more houses.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council deemed the houses unfit for habitation in 2004. Officials later decided any repairs to the homes would be too costly and a decision was made to knock them down.

A legal battle ensued with six families taking Stoke-on-Trent City Council to High Court in protest at the demolition plans.

The High Court ruled in favour of the council on two separate occasions, and the final residents moved out last year.

Eve and John Maley, below, had lived in their home in Eaton Street for 43 years. The couple now live in Eastwood Road, Hanley.

Eve, aged 65, said: "I'm sad the homes are being demolished, even though we knew it was going to happen.

"We don't feel they needed to be knocked down. There may have been some properties that weren't of a good standard, but ours was fine.

"We like where we are now, but I still don't feel happy I have been moved from my home."

Husband John, aged 72, said: "I was born and bred in that area and then I was forced to leave.

"We fought the council all the way but we didn't win. This sort of thing is destroying communities."

Protesters spent thousands of pounds on legal fees, with the final four families being forced to admit defeat early last year.

Caging currently surrounds the houses with the majority now brought to the ground.

Audra Lawton, aged 43, has lived in Eaton Street with husband Dave, aged 54, for 25 years. The couple's home was not one of those demolished.

Audra said: "I hope the new homes are in-keeping with the current houses on the street.

"It's a shame the people living there had to leave. Some of them really wanted to stay."

Susan Wilbraham, aged 58, of King George Street, said: "I didn't want them to knock the houses down. It is sad to see them go."

Husband Colin, aged 60, said: "We took pictures before they knocked them down so we can remember what it used to look like."

Paul Breeze, chairman of Hanley One Residents' Association, said: "What-ever the council does with the land it needs to be in-keeping and residents should be properly consulted."

A council spokesman said: "Once the site has been cleared we will be able to get a better idea of what would be the appropriate step in developing the land.

"We will do investigation work and working with a housing association, see if the site would be viable to create family housing."