Britain's most ghoulish tourist trail

After three decades as a top attraction on the ghouls' tourist trail, the residents of Wardlebrook Avenue in Hattersley were taking some new hope from Myra Hindley's death yesterday.

No 16, where Hindley once lived, was knocked down years ago because nobody in the east Manchester overspill town could be persuaded to live in it. But that hasn't stopped tourists – most commonly French and Germans – knocking at No 14, the house next door. Questions fielded there by 42-year-old Nicolette Maken have included "have you looked under the patio?" and "do you get ghosts?"

"We even have coaches turning up with people wanting to catch a look at where Hindley lived," said Mrs Maken. "Then there are the [TV crews'] cranes. They usually set up in the pub car park."

Mrs Maken moved into the £55-a-week council house 13 years ago, in the full knowledge that it had always carried a certain curiosity for ghouls.

"It didn't bother me – in fact the removal of No 16 has left us with more garden than others in the row seem to have. But I can't say I expected all this. At times we have had to tell the children not to answer the door."

Glenn Panter, 28, who lives with his family several doors down, said that the demolition of No 16 even prompted a market in Hindley memorabilia. "People were actually pinching the bricks," he said.

The Hindley house has also been of use to criminals, who have been known to try using the address 16 Wardlebrook Avenue when arrested.