'˜We're just shy of a bed before someone could move into the alley'

Flytippers have dumped two fridges in the alleyway the latest of many such incidents, according to residents

They say the alleyway, behind Gamble Road in Thornton, is constantly being used as a makeshift rubbish dump – and a wrangle over whose responsibility it is to clean it up means litter is left for weeks at a time.

David Gregson, who has complained about the issue several times to Wyre Council and the owner of the alleyway, said: “There’s been correspondence between us and the owner of the land but he denies it’s his.

“The council ask for it to be sorted but it’s taking too long for it to be sorted out.

“They wouldn’t think twice about issuing me with an order to tidy it up so I don’t know why they’re not getting in touch with the owner

“It’s getting worse and worse.

“There’s a standing joke that we’re just shy of a bed before someone could move into the alleyway.

“There’s two fridges there at the moment, we’ve had a mattress and all sorts dumped there.

“I even offered to pay for electricity for a CCTV camera but they never took me up on it. All they’ve done is put up posters saying its a fly-tipping watch area. No-one’s reading them.

“I appreciate it’s not the council’s land but there comes a point where something has to be done.

“Unless it’s an environmental issue they won’t get involved but it needs to be cleared now or we’ll have rats and all sorts.”

Another concerned resident, who asked not to be named, said: “We have a severe problem with fly tipping in my area that Wyre Council will do absolutely nothing to address.

“The alley is a dumping ground for all sorts of domestic and commercial rubbish.

“We all pay our council tax yet due to an ongoing dispute of who is responsible for the land, the council will not remove the rubbish.

“I don’t care who owns the land – like everyone else I pay my council tax. What I do want is not to live next to a rubbish dump.

“This has been going on for 10 years and the council just wash their hands of the issue.

“The alley is used by the general public as a walk through – it’s an absolute disgrace .

“The surrounding area is also a problem litter wise fly tipping in the tree area and a large volume of litter from the people using the football facilities.”

A Wyre Council spokeswoman said: “The land in question is privately owned and the type of waste being left doesn’t pose a health risk which restricts our powers to take enforcement action.

“However we are exploring ways to tackle the issue and force those responsible to take action – potentially with the use of new anti social behaviour powers.”