RESIDENTS in Leigh, Atherton and Tyldesley will benefit when a £250 million five-year programme to transform 25,500 council homes gets under way.

One hundred new kitchens a week will be fitted in the borough of Wigan from now until 2008.

And the 200,000-plus new units being installed will be made out of timber from sustainable forests.

Contractors Bullock Construction, Mears Building Services and Wates Construction will carry out the home improvements.