A COUNCIL's clean up campaign was rubbished at a public meeting as Blackburn residents reported filthy alleyways and swarming populations of rats.

Donna Hall, neighbourhood co-ordinator for Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, told residents for Bank Top, Galligreaves and Griffin that Thrash the Trash had resulted in the spending of extra money, cleaning of more back alleys and prosecution of illegal dumpers.

But she was taken to task by several local residents at the public meeting for the three areas in St. Luke with St. Phillip's Church, Hancock Street, who claimed some of the back streets remained a "disgrace".

And the meeting heard that the problems were creating a rat problem.

Criticism turned to anger and jeers when Ms Hall told them that local people were typically to blame for rubbish dumping, although she later revised her opinion and said 'outsiders' were also responsible.

One resident told the meeting: "What do we pay our council tax of £900 a year for?

"The back alley of Redlam is a disgrace."

Another said that a derelict house next door, which had been empty for six years, had rubbish piled up in the yard, attracting rats.

But, she added, all the council had done was stick a note on the boarded up windows of the home warning the absent owners that they faced prosecution.

Ms Hall told them: "If the rubbish wasn't put there in the first place, we wouldn't have to clean it.

"A lot of times when back alleys aren't cleaned it is because local people leave their car in the way and the bin men cannot get through.

"If you give me the example, I can get someone to look at it.

"A lot of people say it isn't local people, when in fact it is."

Later, after her opinion provoked anger, she added: "I don't think the rubbish is all from local people and a lot of it does come from people from outside the borough and local traders.

"If we know who they are we will prosecute."