A COUNCIL has countered claims that it ‘dragged its heels’ to rid a backyard of a mountain of rubbish.

Residents said they had contacted Blackburn Council in February after a waste pile of empty alcohol cans and household waste in a neighbouring property occupied by a family in the Griffin area became hazardous.

Blackburn Council, whose workers this week removed half a rubbish truck of waste from the property, said it had made ‘repeated attempts’ to work with the tenant on Norman Street to resolve the problem.

The action comes after neighbours complained to the Lancashire Telegraph last month about a persistent rat infestation that led to several pest control call outs in one week in Norman Street and parallel Sandon Street.

They believed the problem may have been encouraged by backyard waste in the area.

Chris Allen, Blackburn with Darwen’s Council head of public protection, said: “We made repeated attempts to work with the tenants to ensure they carry out their legal duty of removing their rubbish properly.

“We sympathise with residents concerns however when waste is on private property we are bound by strict legal processes which we are compelled to follow.

“We take this issue extremely seriously and where possible seek to prosecute either tenants and or landlords found guilty of not disposing properly of their rubbish.”

The landlord of the property, who declined to be namedm said: “The resident was made aware of her responsibilities as a tenant.”

Meanwhile residents expressed their relief that the issue had finally been resolved.

One neighbour said: “I think that the council had been dragging their heels over this issue and should have stepped in earlier to prosecute the tenants because this is not the first time this has happened.

“The family seem to have shown no consideration for their neighbours.

“I think that the waste was a health hazard and now that it’s gone hopefully the rat problem will lessen.”