Her final text contained just a single word, but it haunts Jean Hanlon's (pictured) family to this day. 'Help', the message read.

Four homes in a ‘ghost town’ that was once a thriving seaside hotspot have gone up for auction starting at just £5,000 each. 

Horden, in County Durham, was a successful mining village with a lively community, but has suffered heavily since the closure of the local colliery in 1987. 

Four houses were listed on RightMove in May with an auction starting price of £5,000, including one three-bedroom terrace.

Another – a two bed with double glazing and a rear yard – is located at the end of the town’s Seventh Street next to a park overlooking a church.  

Many neighbouring houses appear to be boarded up – reflecting a decline in the town’s population from 15,000 in 1951 to just 6,807 in the 2021 census.  

This two-bedroom terraced house (first door on the left) is on auction with a starting price of £5,000 

The home - which has double glazing and a rear yard - is located at the end of the town's Seventh Street next to a park overlooking a church

The home - which has double glazing and a rear yard - is located at the end of the town's Seventh Street next to a park overlooking a church

The home – which has double glazing and a rear yard – is located at the end of the town’s Seventh Street next to a park overlooking a church

The property is on the town's Seventh Street, where they are many boarded up properties

The property is on the town's Seventh Street, where they are many boarded up properties

The property is on the town’s Seventh Street, where they are many boarded up properties 

The property’s £5,000 guide price is less than two per cent of the cost of the average UK house. The average two-bed would set you back £255,172. 

Horden grew up around the colliery, which opened in 1904, and by 1964 it had cinemas, sports pitches and a bowling green. 

But the closure of the pit in 1987 following several waves of miners’ strikes sent the town into decline, and it is now beset with high unemployment, drug use and poor housing. 

YouTuber David Burnip visited the town for his channel Wandering Turnip, where he shares videos of some of the UK’s cheapest homes. 

‘Four thousand people were working at the coal mine, living here, spending their money, and bringing up families,’ he said in a clip called £20,000 Houses In A Boarded Up Seaside Town. 

Horden grew up around the colliery, which opened in 1904. Pictured are miners playing cards and dominoes

Horden grew up around the colliery, which opened in 1904. Pictured are miners playing cards and dominoes

Horden grew up around the colliery, which opened in 1904. Pictured are miners playing cards and dominoes 

By 1964 the village had cinemas, sports pitches and a bowling green

By 1964 the village had cinemas, sports pitches and a bowling green

By 1964 the village had cinemas, sports pitches and a bowling green 

The closure of the pit in 1987 following several waves of miners' strikes sent the town into decline, and it is now beset with high unemployment, drug use and poor housing

The closure of the pit in 1987 following several waves of miners' strikes sent the town into decline, and it is now beset with high unemployment, drug use and poor housing

The closure of the pit in 1987 following several waves of miners’ strikes sent the town into decline, and it is now beset with high unemployment, drug use and poor housing

Describing the area now, he said: ‘It’s so apocalyptic-looking… almost eerie.

‘I can’t imagine anyone ever wanting to live in one of these, no matter how nice it was renovated, being surrounded by all of those derelict properties would be really depressing and downright creepy at night.’

Mr Burnip said the council had painted fake doors and windows onto some of the plywood boards covering up empty houses to make it look like they were still occupied. 

‘Whoever made them fake doors are genius. I absolutely love them. They look so good, and they do make the houses look so much better,’ he said.

‘It’s a good way to make you think it’s not boarded up, but it is.’ 

A view towards Horden Beach, which looks out over the North Sea

A view towards Horden Beach, which looks out over the North Sea

A view towards Horden Beach, which looks out over the North Sea 

One local who spoke with the YouTuber told how the town has 'gone down the banks since the collieries finished'. Pictured are shops on one of its main streets

One local who spoke with the YouTuber told how the town has 'gone down the banks since the collieries finished'. Pictured are shops on one of its main streets

One local who spoke with the YouTuber told how the town has ‘gone down the banks since the collieries finished’. Pictured are shops on one of its main streets 

One local who spoke with the YouTuber told how the town has ‘gone down the banks since the collieries finished’. 

‘You had all the working men’s clubs, and all the public houses – there is practically none left here now,’ he said. 

The man claimed that drug use had ‘taken hold’ in the local area, affecting residents in their 40s and 50s as well as young people. 

One recently sold property on Tees Street in Horden sold for £30,250 – after being bought for almost double the price in 2006.