A major project to regenerate two of Manchester's most notorious suburbs is coming to an end.

About �400m of private and public sector money has been spent improving the image of Moss Side and Hulme.

The areas - directly to the south of the city centre - had acquired infamous reputations for riots, drugs turf wars, crime and inner city blight housing.

But much of that has been swept away over the last five years.

New modern housing has replaced earlier planning disasters

The Moss Side and Hulme Partnership was set up in 1997 by Manchester City Council to coordinate the areas' regeneration, funded by Single Regeneration Budget and European Regional Development Funds.

The city council has also pledged that the renaissance will continue to ensure a better quality of life for all local residents.

Projects have included retail developments - with a new Asda supermarket moving in, four new public parks and improved housing.

The notorious Hulme Crescent housing estates have now been torn down and replaced by modern housing.

Moss Side was hit by riots in the 1980s and drugs wars in the 1990s

Moss Side's Alexandra Park housing estate, home to notorious drugs gangs in the 1980s and 1990s, has been revamped to eradicate crime.

The open plan design which gave criminals easy access to property and easy getaway routes has been replaced.

The estate now has streets and walls enclosing houses, giving people what the council calls "defensible space".

Councillor Mary Murphy said: "I think the money's been spent quite well in terms of what people were asking for, particularly this neighbourhood of Alexandra Park.

"This was a scary neighbourhood for the people that lived here, it was dark, it had no streets and was the home of gangs and drugs and the whole thing that went on through the 80s and 90s.

It's remarkable and the effect on the children is remarkable too

Ray Kirby, head of Ducie High School

"What has happened is crime has been designed out, but even more importantly, people's fear of crime has been designed out."

Ray Kirby, head of Ducie High School, in Moss Side, first came to the area in 1965 as a student and couldn't believe the state it was in.

He added: "Then in the 1970s and 80s it got even worse.

"But I came back to Ducie in 2000 and didn't recognise the transformation around here.

"It's remarkable and the effect on the children is remarkable too.

"It's given the youngsters around here some hope, that they are not at the end of the line, they're not from an area that people have forgotten and they can be proud of where they live."