HOUSE prices in most East Lancashire boroughs have on average fallen for the first time in several years, according to official figures.

The Land Registry, which collates information on the sale of every house in the country, shows that for the first quarter of this year prices dropped by as much as 9.9 per cent.

Only Rossendale and the Ribble Valley were the exceptions with prices in those boroughs still rising.

Over the past few years prices have increased consistently, pushing the cost of a average house in most boroughs to more than £200,000.

In Blackburn with Darwen, the rise last year was 8.8 per cent, but in the first quarter of 2007 prices dropped 4.4 per cent. Average house price was £107, 418.

Hyndburn saw prices increase by 20.8 per cent in 2006, but the first quarter showed a drop of 6.1 per cent, with an average house price of £103,078.

In Pendle, last year prices rose by 13.3 per cent but over the first quarter prices dropped by 9.9 per cent, the largest fall in Lancashire. The average price was £103,138.

Burnley saw an increase of 22.7 per cent over in 2006, the highest in Lancashire, but a drop of 6.1 per cent over the first quarter. The average price was £88,887.

Only Rossendale and the Ribble Valley saw prices increase over the first quarter, with the Ribble Valley increasing by 3.1 per cent. Average price was £219.803 - the highest in the county. Rossendale prices increased by 0.8 per cent over the quarter. to £128,640.