A DISPUTE over who is responsible for repairing an ancient highway in Edgworth has led to a 65-year-old resident doing the job himself.

Residents of Birches Road have tried to get the council to repair the road for years but the final straw came for Irene Bainbridge when her pensioner husband, who suffers from angina, started to do the strenuous work himself.

But Blackburn with Darwen Council today insisted that the road is unadopted, meaning it is not the responsibility of the council to repair it.

It also has a policy that if the road is adopted, asphalt would be used to repair or re-surface it, rather than replacing cobbles with new ones.

Mrs Bainbridge, 62, complained to borough chief executive Phil Watson on July 12 after her husband Tom took to the road with his pick axe and trowel. He has already replaced two setts in the road.

Mrs Bainbridge said: "I couldn't help but be impressed with the paved areas and art work in the centre of Blackburn but then I came home and my husband, a 65-year-old pensioner, was repairing our road because the council refused to do it.

"They said they would pour some asphalt in the hole but the road is an ancient highway and should be treated as such and setts should be put down to replace the old ones, as my husband has done at his own expense.

"Because we are the last stop between Blackburn with Darwen and Bolton, we get a raw deal. I think I'd rather be part of Bolton if it meant we got something done.

"My husband shouldn't have to be doing it but he's lived here a long time and is very proud of it. He digs it out so that it will be level and gets his fire going to put his tar bucket on.

"All we want is a few setts putting in."