IT'S taken six months, but residents are finally celebrating the start of work to repair their sinking street.

People living in Coal Clough Lane close to its junction with Burnham Gate, Burnley, said they were delighted to see workmen after waiting for something to be done about the collapsed pavement.

As Burnley Borough Council and United Utilities argued over who was responsible for the subsidence, what was a small hole turned into a huge crater.

Burnley Council said it was not responsible for carrying out any repair work and insisted United Utilities had to solve the problem.

Flagstones, kerbstones and garden walls all sank into the huge hole and one man had been forced to use his back door instead of the front.

And 51-year-old Ken Holland has been collecting his mail from a town centre post office after mailmen were prevented from using his letter box.

Workmen arrived in Coal Clough Lane this week to start trying to find out why the huge hole appeared. Bert Ruth, a 73-year-old retired businessman said the arrival of workmen was long overdue.

He added: "Someone should have done something before it got this bad, but at least something is being done now.

"We are happy to see someone at last.

"We are all glad to see something happening because it has been a nightmare."

Trinity councillor Tony Lambert added: "It's excellent news and not before time.

"They have all dragged their feet on this, including the council.

"It was established months ago that it was a water burst causing the subsidence."

A spokesman for United Utilities said: "There had been some debate between United Utilities and the council over what this new hole was.

"It had gone on to a part of the pavement and affected somebody's wall. We are currently investigating to see if the hole was related to a water leak and then we will take whatever action is needed to repair it.

"If it is found that the hole is nothing to do with the leak then we will pass on the cost to the council."