A few miles out from the booming Manchester city centre sits one of Salford’s most deprived communities.

Pendleton and Charlestown is an inner-city neighbourhood where high rise flats tower over a community with a deep-rooted sense of being left behind.

People say there are visible signs of struggle on the streets, such as homelessness and litter.

Statistics about the area paint a worrying picture.

Data from the Office for National Statistics on Salford council’s website shows nearly 60 per cent of people aged 16 or above in Pendleton and Charlestown are either out of work or economically inactive - a label used for those not in education or looking for work, or who are retired.

As for wider poverty, the area suffers among the most in the entire city of Salford according to income deprivation data, and life expectancy at birth is around 73 years for men - compared to 79 in England.

It could be all of these reasons that Pendleton was chosen as one of 25 ‘trailblazer’ neighbourhoods in England to get up to £20m in long-term support over a decade from the government.

The announcement in June declared that the cash will make sure ‘places that have been too easily left behind are no longer ignored.’

Brinnington in Stockport was also chosen to benefit from its own pot of money, as well as Benchill South and Wythenshawe Central.

Few details has been shared about how the funds will be used, other than hints that local communities will be at the centre of any decisions.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service outside Salford Precinct, Pendleton-native Lynn Hignett said the money is desperately needed.

“I've lived here all my life and a lot of people are struggling,” the 53-year-old said.

“So many are using the charity shops because they can't afford anywhere else."

Lynn says there’s a feeling of frustration in the community about a lack of change.

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She explains that she sees kids and teenagers growing up in Pendleton with little to do, creating a generational cycle of problems.

"More parks would be good for the kids, there's just nothing to do but there are a lot of families around here.”

The same issue comes up again while chatting with pensioner Karen Sturmey, who says more youth centres or parks could make a big difference in Pendleton.

She says: “We need more places for kids and teenagers, what is there for kids living around here? There's nothing to do. I think this is really causing problems.

"This area has not changed for 40 years, there's been a lack of help for a long time.

“There's so much going on in Manchester, but they're forgetting about some of the people here who have got nothing.”

Ben Hewett, 24, adds: "If they're putting £20m in they could do with making it cleaner, it's a bit of a mess, there's rubbish everywhere.

“I think we need more places like parks and places for kids to go, not just here but all over the country. You can see signs of deprivation around, there are homeless people out on the streets.”

News of the money was welcomed by political leaders in both Salford and Stockport.

Salford’s Labour city mayor, Paul Dennett, said the money will be put to use “to make sure the benefits are felt as widely as possible by people who need it the most” as part of community-led regeneration.

He also cautioned that more details about the cash and how exactly it will be used are still to be shared.

That was also flagged in Stockport, where the council is led by the Lib Dems.

Like Pendleton, people in Brinnington face a number of challenges, such as a report shared last year which revealed those living in Brinnington could live ten years fewer than those five miles away in Bramhall.

Stockport council’s deputy leader Jilly Julian, who is also in charge of finances at the town hall, said: “We welcome any money coming in for improvements to any parts of the borough, but there is a total absence of any detail for this particular fund.

“There is no information about what conditions there are around this money, the phasing, or what the actual amount will be.

“A pound given to the council in 2035 would meet this announcement, as would £20m being given tomorrow.

“Once we have some more details we will work with the local community and local members to ensure any money received is put to the best use for the benefit of residents.”

In response to the funding, Stockport's opposition Labour group leader Christine Carrigan said: “I am delighted and excited for Brinnington to receive this money. As the councillor for Brinnington and Stockport Central, it's always challenging to see one half of the ward thriving while other areas such as Brinnington feel left behind.

“Yesterday [July 2], I was fortunate enough to spend some time with the deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, and minister for local government, Jim McMahon, where I received assurances that the details on the money will be provided by the end of July, and this money will be administered by a local board of residents.

“I am determined to ensure that faceless bureaucrats do not have a say in where this money goes, rather local residents and businesses who know our area best are at the forefront of this project.”

A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: "For too long communities have been starved of investment and left behind, and we’re taking decisive action to fix this and deliver Britain’s renewal through our Plan for Change.

"We’re investing up to £20 million in 25 neighbourhoods, including Pendleton, over the next decade so we can boost growth, regenerate our communities and deliver real change people can see on their doorstep."