COMMUNITIES in rural Dorset are in danger of becoming 'ghost towns' as second home owners snap up property and force up house prices.

A major housing organisation has warned that an influx of second home owners and retired couples is threatening the sustainability of local community services such as shops and schools.

Purbeck, where nearly half of the 2,300 school places are surplus to requirements, has been highlighted by The National Housing Federation (NHF) as one of the worst-affected areas in the South West. The rising number of wealthy property owners who have snapped up a country home in the area has caused house prices to more than double over the last five years to above £260,000.

With the average income for local people only £18,000, many are being forced to leave the district in order to get on the property ladder.

West Dorset is also suffering, with the average property price rising to £279,000 and an increase of 180 per cent in affordable housing waiting lists over the last five years leaving 1,500 people waiting for a home.

The NHF, which represents 200 housing associations across the South West, claims there is an urgent need for more affordable homes in Dorset to keep local people and their families in the area.

Regional manager Stuart Ropke said: "We need to help local people to stay and live in their communities by building more affordable homes for them - otherwise the schools, shops and other key local services they support will simply disappear.

"It's crucial that local authorities support new affordable housing developments in these rural areas.

"Unless we can stop the outward flow of local people from sought-after areas like Purbeck, we face the very real danger that they will become ghosts towns for nine months of the year."

Rob Green, who runs Purbeck Property estate agents in Wareham, is also worried by the rising numbers of properties being bought up as holiday homes.

He said: "This has gradually been happening over the years, especially in the outlying areas.

"I even had someone in here the other day who was giving me brochures to try and encourage people to put their children in Corfe Castle School because apparently there is a lack of children taking up places.

"Most of the younger families have had to move out and consequently there are no local children going to the schools.

"It reinforces the idea that we are getting overtaken by the holiday market."

Mr Green added: "I think they should be building streets of terraced houses somewhere to accommodate the youngsters otherwise they won't be able to afford anywhere.

"The cheapest actual house I have got on my books at the moment is £179,000, which is in Bere Regis or Bovington. There is nothing much around Wareham for that price and if that's the first stepping point, what chance have young people got?"