Tears were shed but the anger of Pegasus Court families at Blackbird Leys remained to the very end, writes REG LITTLE.

There was a few seconds' silence as the demolition began of the flats that became known as Oxford's worst address.

But then a loud cheer went up from a crowd of 50 people gathered across the road as the walls began to crumble.

"We've waited a long time for this," said Pat O'Neill, the former chairman of the Pegasus Court Tenants' association. "It is the culmination of four-and-a-half years' work. I always wanted to dance on the rubble but I suppose this is close enough. Look at it. They allowed us to live in cardboard, coated in plastic."

But there were as many sad as triumphant faces all around her. "For all the bad things said about Pegasus Court, it was our home," said Ms O'Neill, 42. "We were a real community."

Some residents mockingly recall how the block of 108 flats in Blackbird Leys once won a design award. Few would now argue that Pegasus Court was a terrible mistake.

The flats were built in 1974 by a housing association using a substance called Resiform, which consists of polyester resin reinforced with glass fibre.

And there could be no doubting the appallingly high asbestos content within the building, as the demolition team set about its work this week. Large panels full of the stuff had to be individually lifted out to prevent asbestos dust being released into the air. There were endless break-ins, some neighbour disputes but the greatest problem was damp and high condensation, which took a terrible toll on the health of the children living there.

Since moving out Ms O'Neill's teenage daughter's asthma has improved dramatically. Kerry Ashley-Morgan's two children, now aged 11 and eight, have not been so fortunate. "We lived there for ten years," she said. "In that time my children suffered from severe asthma, bronchitis and even pneumonia," she said.

"I have no doubt that the mould spores contributed to these infections. My son Aron still has severe asthma, in fact it's got worse. There would be mould on your clothes. I have thrown out so much since I left here."

Mothers like Clare Clibbon, 22, complained that children were unable to play on the surrounding grassed area because it was regularly strewn with broken bottles, condoms and inhalers.

Dennis Stevens, 71, was the last resident to depart just three weeks ago. He recalled: "In the summer it was like living in an oven. Then in the winter it was like a fridge."

The tenants' association campaigned hard for the blocks to be demolished. Then with Oxford city council and Ealing Family Housing Association, it mounted a successful bid for money to redevelop the site and provide 69 traditionally-built homes.

Yet for all the hard fought victory, retired nurse Dora Bishop stood at the back of the crowd with tears running down her cheeks.

"I raised three children there and grandchildren as well. Pegasus Court has played such a big part in my life."

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