THEY were derelict buildings just three months ago, but today Linton-on-Ouse's old Ministry of Defence estate is home to its first new residents after an Evening Press campaign exposed the scandal of North Yorkshire's empty homes.

Dave Murray, 27, and Sam Chapman, 22, are the first residents of the new Linton Woods Village estate.

Our campaign highlighted the absurdity of former RAF quarters in North Yorkshire being left empty while housing waiting lists grew longer and new development threatened the countryside.

It won the backing of the national Empty Homes Agency, which submitted a portfolio of Evening Press articles highlighting the issue to housing ministers.

The Linton buildings had stood empty and derelict for seven years, but were finally sold last year to Welbeck Homes, who renovated the estate and put them on the market at Christmas.

Dave and Sam were first featured in the Evening Press in December when they queued up at 6am to be among the first to get a house.

"We're over the moon," said Dave, who works for Nissan at Clifton Moor, York. "We can't believe the speed of the turnaround from when they were all derelict only three months ago."

It is the couple's first home together, and previously they both lived nearby, in Linton-on-Ouse and Newton-on-Ouse.

"I've lived here since 1982, so I knew it when people last lived in it. It was empty for years, which was a bit of a waste. Kids had smashed all the windows," said Dave.

"It's just a nice area," said Sam, who works as a secretarial assistant.

"I've lived round here for seven or eight years. We'll be moving everything in today."

And to celebrate the arrival of their first residents, Welbeck Homes project director Shirley Smith presented them with a bottle of champagne and a dinner service.

"We've sold 29 out of the 50 houses," she said.

"This week alone I've sent out 150 brochures. We've had enquiries from all over - the Isle of Wight, Guernsey, the Outer Hebrides, Germany. There's also been a lot of interest from local people.

"We had one girl from London who said she'd never seen a sheep that wasn't on a plate with mint sauce!"

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.