RUBBISH dumped in a Darwen alley before Christmas has still not been cleaned up despite calls to the borough council.

Resident James Butterworth said industrial waste, including what appeared to be asbestos, had been left behind his home in Hollins Grove Street in December.

He called the council and said he was told it would be removed as a priority because of the nature of the waste, but they never came. Mr Butterworth, 48, said that after six weeks and three further phone calls, the waste was still there.

The joiner, who lives with sons Dillon and Daniel, said: “I have been trying to get rid of this rubbish since before Christmas.

“They told me they would remove it straight away but they didn’t come. When I rang the next time they said they had no record of my initial call. Now I have been on to them four times and it is still there.”

Mr Butterworth said fly-tipping behind the street was a recurring problem.

He said: “It has been going on for at least two years. We had a clean-up a while back and cleared all the rubbish.”

Coun Jim Smith, executive member for environment said: “As a council we aim to ensure our borough is kept clean, and those who dump household rubbish are prosecuted and named and shamed in the press.

“We will investigate this report and take action to get this rubbish removed from the area. The council is always proactive in dealing with flytipping and bringing those responsible to justice.”