RESIDENTS in Little Harwood were infuriated after 10 fridges were dumped in the street.

The defunct fridges were discarded in the early hours of Tuesday in Providence Street to the shock of residents.

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Little Harwood councillor Naushad Surve was outraged at the blatant fly-tipping, which he believes was mindless anti-social behaviour.

He said: “This is a deliberate and organised anti-social activity, by a bunch of reckless idiots. Residents are devastated.

“It’s highly likely the perpetrators are the type of people who don’t pay tax, but are morally lacking to behave in a way to waste tax payers’ money to clean it up, money we just don’t have.”

Blackburn with Darwen Council have a Bulky Item collection service which people are usually encouraged to use for disposing of white goods and similar items.

A minimum service charge for the removal of any item is £10, but the arrangement works on a unit points system.

The service charge for the removal of these fridges under this system would take the total to £50.

However Cllr Jim Smith, executive member for the environment portfolio at Blackburn with Darwen council, estimated the cost of the clean up operation would be ‘in the hundreds’ because of the unusual level of dumping.

He said: “Disposal is the responsibility of whoever owns the fridges, but it’s the residents who have to deal with the consequences.

“It’s no good buying the fridge if you’re not going to dump it.

“If you use the proper services it costs just £10 to remove a fridge. If you can afford a fridge, you can afford to get it removed.”

The council services will now be left to clean up the mess, and Cllr Surve believes the operation will cost time and money which could be better used elsewhere.

He said: “I have asked the Environment department to lodge an investigation. It costs a lot of money to clear up this kind of mess. Money that could have been spent on other important services in the borough.”

“We do a lot of community clean ups in the area and residents take pride in their environment. It’s just a shame a handful of individuals spoil it for the rest everywhere.”

Anyone who has any information about this illegal dumping should contact the council’s Environment department on 01254 585585.