A FAMILY was stunned to discover a neighbouring home had been partly demolished - without permission.

Angela Speak, a 27-year-old mother-of-two, walked into her back garden to find that only an outside shell of the home next door still remained. Neighbours knew work was being carried out at the terraced home in Hulton Lane, Daubhill, but did not realise that the house was actually being pulled down.

Internal walls had been ripped down, the staircase demolished and the whole rear wall had been removed.

And today it was revealed that the home had been partly pulled down - and left in an unsafe condition - without planning approval.

The two homes back on to each other at the rear of the properties. Two other homes in the row between them are empty.

A Bolton Council spokesman said the owners of the property -- who council officials are trying to trace -- did not have permission to carry out the work.

The demolition was also carried out without the electricity, gas and water supplies being disconnected.

An emergency building team from Bolton Council was sent to the home to ensure what remains of the building was safe. They had to take the roof off the house

Today, scaffolding was in place as both council inspectors and a team from United Utilities surveyed the site.

It is understood the house was recently bought at auction for around £25,000 and within weeks, the owner began to tear it down.

But the work left a bare electricity cable exposed and at one point, gallons of water poured from a burst pipe.

Miss Speak, who has two children, Emily, aged two, and Michael, three, and shares her home with partner Marcus Welding, aged 29, said: "The rubble flew through the air and was landing in back gardens. It smashed by fence down.

"For a week, I was bombarded by dust, bricks and wood.

"I couldn't believe what was happening. The building wasn't in a great state before but it's certainly worse now."

Neighbours say children have been spotted playing among the rubble and they are furious about the mess.

A spokesman for United Utilities said: "To demolish a property without firstly disconnecting the utilities is quite simply reckless.

"Our inspectors have been to the property."