Police were called in to Warbreck Gardens – the site of the former C&S brewery in North Shore – after reports children had got in.

Chorley-based Chelford Properties was building 100 new properties on the plot and local residents were fearful for the youngsters’ safety.

On investigation, officials from the Health and Safety Executive found a boundary fence had been damaged which allowed children to access the site.

Chelford Properties Ltd was prosecuted and yesterday admitted two breaches of safety regulations.

The company was fined £6,000 and ordered to pay £4,533 costs by District Judge Peter Ward sitting at Blackpool Magistrates’ Court.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) officials visited the site in February 2007 after police alerted them to the concerns of residents about the poor state of the boundary fence which had been vandalised.

They found not only was the fence along Devonshire Road dilapidated, but also the site itself did not have an adequate traffic management system, putting people walking around the site in danger from construction vehicles.

Alasdair Green, prosecuting for the HSE, said: “The boundary fence on Devonshire Road was damaged, allowing anyone to walk onto the site.

“There was also a failure to separate pedestrians and vehicles moving about on the site.

“There was considerable potential harm to workers and the public.

Warnings

“This company received numerous warnings, both from the HSE and from its own safety experts, about areas where it needed to improve, but it failed to take heed of the warnings. This company must take safety issues seriously.

“Construction is the country’s biggest industry, but it is also one of the most dangerous. On average, 70 people die every year from injuries they receive as a result of construction work.

“That is more than one death every week. Many more have been injured.”

John Woosnam, defending, said Chelford took health and safety very seriously and the managing director now had a more hands-on approach to such matters.

The firm, he said, acted immediately on the notices ordering it to improve the site and five weeks after the inspection the work was completed.

Mr Woosnam added: “There was no accident or injury in relation to either of these breaches.”