RESIDENTS of Lower Darwen have been hammered with a £16,000 bill after losing a court battle to decide who should pay for the resurfacing of their pothole-ridden road.

Two couples from Higher Croft Road tackled Blackburn with Darwen Council during a three-day appeal at Preston Crown Court where they argued the council should pay for repairs.

The court case came about after residents decided to appeal against an earlier court decision in May which found in favour of the council that Higher Croft Road was not adopted.

This meant that the residents would be responsible for carrying out work on the road instead of the council.

But after the judge found in favour of the council in the latest hearing, the appellants will face a large bill.

The judge said she believed that after listening to both sets of evidence the situation remained the same - and she believed the road had never been adopted.

Residents Pete and Julie Longden and Gary and Linda Parker have less than a month to decide whether to appeal again.

But they have already had to pay for legal representation and costs at two hearings and will still have to pay their share for the resurfacing too.

A handful of other residents who wanted the council to adopt their road have agreed to help with the costs.

Mr Longden said: "I don't think we will appeal again because it's just getting uneconomical . We feel like we have been judged unfairly and we are gutted we lost."

Adam Scott, director of regeneration, housing and neighbourhood at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: "This brings to an end 50 years of argument and debate about the road."