The reason? Thousands of cars piling past at 70 miles per hour, a mere matter of metres away from some of the homes.

Built back in the 1930s, what's known locally as the Dicky Bird was around for decades before its noisy highway arrived in the 1970s - linking Rossendale with the big smoke of Manchester.

A strip of land cutting through the council estate, now housing the M66, was left as a designated route, anticipating the need for a Bury bypass.

(Image: NQ)

Some die-hard Dicky Birders recall how the patch of land was filled with kids playing in the period before the tarmac was put down.

It's not just the unique motorway situation that the area is known for.

A man named Gary Kelly, aged 30, was jailed for 10 years in January 2003 after being found guilty of accidentally shooting drug dealer Rupert Satchell at a house on Goldfinch Drive.

In 2004  the BBC programme Drugland: Manchester took a deep dive into the estate and its crime.

"We've had trouble here in the past, but it has got better," Sam from Sam's Food & Wine said.

"Most people are alright but the bad name will always stick."

(Image: NQ) More locals noted the area's crime had been stifled in recent times, although most people had either "24-hour security" stickers, triple-locked doors, or answered knocks by peeping around a chain.

The air quality is noticeably worse than your average urban area, especially in parts closer to the carriageway.

(Image: NQ) "I don't have an issue with the air quality because I have triple-glazed windows," one resident said.

"And, I'd rather look at a 10-feet concrete wall than a messy back garden."

The enthusiastic woman, speaking loudly over the droning hum of engines on the other side of the wall, added: "I actually requested to live here on a council house transfer.

(Image: NQ) "The noise isn't an issue inside if all the doors and windows are shut.

"It's a fantastic place to live and that's all there is to it."

Another local, who wished to be referred to as Phil, said: "I didn't grow up on a council estate, but after living here for 10 years, I wish I did.

The view from Phil's front door (Image: NQ) "Before I moved here, I asked my mate who's a copper whether it was a rough area or not and he said, 'Phil, you'll get trouble wherever you live if you look for it', and I've never had any issues here.

"As for the cars, I'll sometimes watch them from my bedroom window and they are peaceful to watch.

"If I'm away on holiday, I'll struggle to sleep because there won't be the noise of the cars in the background.

"We've had issues with it don't get me wrong, sometimes people will be walking along the carriageway at night, when I used to park my van next to the barrier, I'd spot hand prints all over it because people had used it to gain access to the highway."