RESIDENTS have branded a skip overflowing with waste as 'disgusting' and called for action to be taken.

The skip has been at the back of London Terrace and Sandon Street in Darwen for at least two months and is now surrounded by rubbish and household items.

Residents and councillors have contacted both Budget Skip Hire and Blackburn with Darwen Council on numerous occasions to get it removed.

The authority said the skip does not have a licence to be in the back street and staff have tried to make contact with the company on multiple occasions.

Budget Skip Hire, which is based in Altham, said staff had not been able to access the back street due to the gate being locked.

Mark Waddington, 36, who lives in London Terrace, said he keeps one of his cars in the back yard and has been unable to get to it sometimes due to the mess.

He said: “It is disgusting and before long there will be pests around it.

“It has grown and grown that pile and I cannot believe it’s still going on. It has been there for months.

“I’ve got two cars and I keep one at the back. At one point the rubbish was all over the alleyway and I couldn’t actually get to my car.

“There are some people that don’t seem to care and are just dumping their rubbish around it.”

The council has said if it is not removed imminently a contractor will be brought in to remove it and all ‘reasonable’ costs will be charged to the skip company.

Many residents have complained about the smell of the rubbish.

June Newton, who lives in Sandon Street, said: “It is just horrible and we are all worried about rats getting at it all.

“There’s baby clothes and even a cooker there now.

Cllr Roy Davies, borough and town council ward representative, said he has contacted Budget Skip Hire four times and has been assured it would be removed.

He said “It is an absolute disgrace.

“I almost don’t blame people for dumping their rubbish around it because if it’s just left there that’s what they will do.

“I have contacted the skip hire company on four occasions.”

Cllr Phil Riley, the council's deputy leader, said: “The skip in question has no licence and we have contacted the owner on a number of occasions, taking steps to have it removed."

A spokesman for Budget Skip Hire said: “We have been up to the street on numerous occasions but the gate has been locked so we've not been able to access it.

“We are trying our best to get it moved.”