ESTATE agents - and the governor of the Bank of England - have poured cold water on suggestions that Thurrock house prices are set to tumble.

A report from the Nationwide Building Society last week warned towns such as Thurrock could become "property coolspots" in 2003, with prices slumping by more than 15 percent.

Nationwide - one of the country's biggest mortgage lenders - highlighted 20 vulnerable areas where it believed prices would either fall or severely slow down. All were in the south east of England - 14 in greater London - and included Thurrock.

The borough is home to Chafford Hundred, one of the largest new-building estates in Europe with homes topping £380,000.

However, Sir Eddie George, governor of the Bank of England has slammed reports of an economic slowdown as "sensationalist" but accepted the rise in house prices would "moderate quite sharply".

* see Monday's Echo for full story