TESCO has been branded 'morally irresponsible' for leaving homes in Cinderford empty for more than six years.

The supermarket giant bought a row of homes on Dockham Road before launching a scheme to build a new store next to the main Co-op in town.

A bitter planning wrangle resulted in the Tesco plans falling through and now town councillors are demanding the houses, two of which are large semi-detached properties, are put back into use.

Coun Bernie O'Neill said: "It's morally irresponsible for Tesco to have left these properties empty six years."

Coun Di Martin said: "We have more than 2,000 people on the waiting list for houses in the Forest and we are stuck with these homes that cannot be used.

"Tesco say they are an ethical retailer and they need to demonstrate this by releasing these homes back to the community."

Council chairman Graham Morgan said: "We need to put pressure on Tesco to dispose of these houses now that we've got two other supermarkets interested in the town."

Coun Lloyd Wilce said he heard there was a party already interested in building new homes on the site.

"My information is that there is already moves by an interested party to buy these properties," he said.

"They are going to knock them down and build 10 properties as was done on the other side of the road."

Councillors agreed that a letter should be sent to Tesco urging them to dispose of the derelict homes.

A spokesman for Tesco said: "We are currently considering our options on the future of these properties."