RESIDENTS in Hapton claim they are having sleepless nights due to lorries driving through the village.

And now they have called for an overnight ban on HGVs using Manchester Road.

Their plea has been backed by county councillor for Padiham and Hapton, Marcus Johnstone.

County highways bosses suggested that a voluntary ban should be agreed with local businesses. But Coun Johnstone it was not enough.

He said: "The current situation is completely intolerable and it is unacceptable that heavy lorries should be keeping people awake at night.

"We want local companies to operate profitably and successfully, but this cannot be done at the expense of local residents' quality of life.

"I am with residents on this one and will do everything I can to put their case to the highways officers responsible for this at County Hall."

He added: "We need to make sure that the ban has real weight behind it and, while I am very happy to work with the local firms on this, the essential thing is that residents get the peace and quiet they are entitled to."

The chairman of Hapton Parish Council, Joan Lakeland, said residents on Manchester Road had brought their concerns to the attention of the council.

She said: "There are a lot of lorries now going through Hapton. They are a lot bigger and the village was not built to accommodate them.

"Some of the houses on Manchester Road have no front garden so they come right out onto the road.

"The issue of noise during the night was brought up at a meeting of the parish council and Coun Johnstone has taken it up on the residents' behalf."

A spokesman for the county council said: "The council has been looking at ways to minimise the problems on Manchester Road with local businesses and the parish council.

"If no suitable voluntary solution can be found, then we will seek the police's views on whether some form of heavy goods vehicle restriction might be appropriate and enforceable."