The once-popular seaside town now 'like Beirut' as kids walk the streets 'barefoot'

The residents of the poorest town in the UK have revealed that children walk the streets barefoot, and those who abuse drugs hang around on the streets.

Government figures have shown that Blackpool was listed as the most deprived area in the country, reports the Express. However, locals of the town weren't surprised by the news, as they say the situation is only getting worse.

Residents have spoken of drug-users getting high in public areas during the day, with children hanging around in no shoes and dirty clothes. Rats have scuttled across floors in rental accommodation, and foodbanks are extremely busy, according to locals.

Roofer Joseph Underwood, 52, told The Sun: "The poverty and conditions are simply shocking. I have a friend who lives in an area with rats and mould.

"And you see crack and heroin being openly smoked in the streets. It's incredible. Some areas of the town are so bad, it's like Beirut."

Unemployed Joe Morris, 36, said: "I've seen kids in bare feet walking the streets. It's shocking. There is a lot of poverty here."

Blackpool has been known as the Las Vegas of the North, with its long history of performing arts and dancing, as well as the famous Pleasure Beach area.

The Office of National Statistics (ONS) found Blackpool to be England's least healthy place to live using data from 2021. It was the fifth year in a row that the once-loved seaside resort was crowned the unhealthiest town to live.

Retired security guard John Gould, 73, told The Sun that despite deprivation already being high, the town is still finding new ways to get worse.

He said: "It's definitely got worse over the years. Some of the poverty is shocking with more people having to go to foodbanks over the years. They have ploughed a lot of money into the town but the people seem to be getting worse off."

Blackpool Pleasure Beach manager and dad-of-one Karl Jenkinson, 23, was of a similar opinion, as he said: "The area we live in isn't great and it is a struggle getting by even though I work. We pay £850-a-month for a flat that has mould. I worry for my daughter's health."

A Blackpool Council spokesperson said: "As a local authority, we are wholly committed to improving the quality of life of our town's residents, as well as continuing to attract the millions of visitors who come to Blackpool every year because they love it so much.

"Whilst Blackpool is so well known for fun and happy times, like many other seaside towns it is faced with both economic and health challenges including high levels of deprivation, dependency and social need and we are doing much to tackle these issues head on.

"Working proactively alongside our colleagues in the NHS, as well as other partners we provide a number of health and welfare schemes to try and ensure that families, children and individuals get the help and advice that they need.

"At the same time we also need to look to the future. So we along with partners are investing heavily in Blackpool in a diverse range of development projects to drive economic regeneration, create new jobs to help our communities, and deliver an improved environment for residents and visitors alike."

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