RAW sewage is seeping from a septic tank, which serves a Colne caravan park, into the gardens of nearby homes, councillors have been told.

Council bosses in Pendle had ordered the owners of Prospect Farm Caravan Park, off Lenches Road, to sort out the drainage problem.

But their notice has not been complied with, Colne and District Committee heard.

And the farm’s owners have been summonsed to appear at Reedley Magistrates’ Court on June 25.

Coun Tony Greaves said sewage from the caravan park ran off into a septic tank, in a nearby field, where it was supposed to soak into the ground. But this process had not been working, he told the committee, causing sewage to run down the hill towards properties in Lenches Fold.

He said: “When there is a lot of sewage, it is running into the gardens of two properties in Lenches Fold.

“It is not a very nice state of affairs for the people living at the bottom of the hill and we did serve a notice on the farm’s owners.”

Council solicitor Howard Culshaw said that the purpose of the prosecution was for the non-compliance with the authority’s notice.

He told councillors that the magistrates, even if they found against the farm’s owners, would not have the power to order restitution for the land.

Mr Culshaw said that the high cost of laying sewerage pipes to the caravan park was a central issue in the case.

The farm’s owners, who are now said to be appealing against the council’s notice, were unavailable for comment yesterday.