Charity says Horden is ill-equipped to deal with influx of homeless people and community spirit is being exploited

• English councils pay millions to move homeless families out of big cities

For much of the 20th century, the numbered streets of Horden housed a thriving community of mining families who took pride in their small but well-kept homes. Matriarchs would scrub their porches and the streets were clear of any rubbish. Fortunes changed when the local colliery, which was one of the largest in the country, closed in 1987.

Today, many houses in this deprived pocket of east Durham are abandoned. Smashed windows and rubbish-strewn streets are a common sight. In efforts to improve the image of the area, the local council has installed fake doors and windows to cover up the sad state of these once-loved homes.