Home owners living in areas plagued by empty houses are being offered a way out under a new scheme in Greater Manchester.

Areas of Salford have been hit hard by declining house prices and abandoned properties in the last decade, leaving remaining owners in negative equity.

However, now the Homeswaps scheme allows owners to swap their home for a property in a nearby street that is in better condition.

Once people have moved the council plans to knock down the houses and regenerate the areas affected, helping up to 150 households in the next three years.

The council buys up and renovates properties

Residents in Langworthy and Seedley, where the scheme is focused, have seen house prices steadily rise since it began in 2002.

Ten households have been rehoused so far.

Mark Glynn, of Salford Council, said: "We have got a lot of owner occupiers who are living in this area surrounded by abandoned housing.

"Their house prices have collapsed over the last 10 to 12 years to a stage where in 1990 their houses would be worth �25-35,000 but are now worth �7-�8,000."

He said that if the houses had simply been the subject of compulsory purchase orders, it would have left their owners in huge debt and with little chance of getting a new home.

"Homeswaps allows that owner to swap their home for an existing property," said Mr Glynn.

"This also has the effect of stabilising the area they are moving to and ensuring that it doesn't suffer the decline that has happened in other streets."