A UK housing estate dubbed "Britain's Chernobyl" has been left derelict, with some even claiming the area is haunted.
But one resident claims he will never leave. Marshal Craig, 71, refuses to up sticks and leave Clune Park in Port Glasgow, despite most of the other residents leaving the area. The area, less than 20 miles west of central Glasgow, was a residential hub during the heyday of the Scottish city's shipbuilding industry.
But with much of the trade now gone, the inhabitants of Clune Park have mostly cleared out. It has the highest number of below-tolerable housing in the Inverclyde area with the council having branded it a “festering wound”. There are even concerns it could collapse if it is not demolished.
The area has become popular with ghost-hunters and urban explorers, but few people still live there (Katielee Arrowsmith / SWNS)Some also claim the estate is haunted. Amateur ghost-hunters frequent the area in search of the lost souls of ex-residents from decades gone by – but even without poltergeists and ghouls, Clune Park could be described as a ghost town.
The area has also become popular with urban explorers who claim Clune Park has a post-apocalyptic feel. One Reddit thread even offered up advice for those looking to do some sight-seeing.
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Social media users who grew up in Clune Park said the area isn't safe (Katielee Arrowsmith / SWNS)One person wrote: "I grew up in the Port, you can definitely access and walk around the streets, some of the closes are also accessible and you can easily go in and out. There are people living there still and some of the flats that seem empty are used by drug dealers to grow weed, some other empty ones have people squatting in them, so there’s a high chance you’ll bump into a few unsavoury characters.
"It’s not the safest place, I wouldn’t advise you to go at night and I definitely wouldn’t be wandering around with expensive camera equipment."
Some people weren't keen to welcome visitors to Clune Park (Katielee Arrowsmith / SWNS)But others weren't so keen on welcoming visitors. "There's f*** all to see except empty flats, rubbish strewn streets and a pervasive sense of misery and desolation," said another user.
"What the f*** is wrong with you? Go, you might find what you're not looking for."
Arson attacks are not uncommon and the streets are covered in litter and graffiti. Few residents remain in Clune Park – as of last year, Craig was one of the last.
And he insists he won't up sticks, even though Inverclyde Council – which has bought more than half of the properties in the area – want to knock down the lot. The retired forestry worker previously said: "I've lived here for 20 years all in all and four years in this particular house.
''Quite frankly, I don't want to move and I'm quite happy here. I know it's rough sometimes and people come in and smash stuff but I'm perfectly happy here and I don't want to leave."
Craig has lived in Clune Park for 20 years (Katielee Arrowsmith / SWNS)Craig even went as far as to brand the area "idyllic" and said his house boasted everything he needed including a nice view, which he joked was only "missing a few palm trees".
As of last year the council were looking to pursue a compulsory purchase order which would force Craig out of his home. After knocking down the houses they planned to build up to 120 new properties between 2023 and 2028.
An Inverclyde Council spokesperson told the Mirror: "Over a number of years, the council has acquired more than 50 per cent of the properties in Clune Park, with a large acquisition of properties made last year. It remains our ambition to acquire the remainder of the properties to demolish them and allow for the delivery of long-term regeneration of the area.
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"Efforts to acquire the remaining properties from the private landlords continue to be difficult. While progress has been frustratingly slow and costly, the vision to regenerate Clune Park still remains and discussions are continuing with private property owners to achieve this aim at the earliest possible opportunity."
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