CONTROVERSIAL plans to build an amusement arcade within walking distance of Darwen Vale High School have been dropped in mysterious circumstances.

Proposals to build the site on the M65 services infuriated residents, councillors and school governors.

David Davis, chief executive of Margrams, applicants and site occupiers, said the plans were now to be withdrawn.

He said: "All we can say is that the application has been withdrawn and that it was to do with a technicality in the company name.

" I don't know what will happen in the future as yet, but the plans have been dropped for now."

At a licensing sub-committee of Blackburn with Darwen Council, members were unsure as to what the company was planning to do.

Jeanette Hicks, council principal environmental officer, said: "The applicants asked for the matter to be adjourned for a period of one month. We had further discussions with various parties yesterday and we asked that their intentions be sent to us in writing in the next few days.

"Their intentions are not clear at this point."

Coun Mary Leaver, of Earcroft ward, said: "I'm absolutely relieved and I'm so happy that this will get rid of some of the problems that the residents in the area have had to cope with since the services came into being.

"It's a victory now, but we just have to hope that it stays that way."

The application provoked more than 20 angry responses, some of which claimed the arcade would become a haven for schoolchildren and 'tempt' them away from the classroom.

David Fenton, Darwen Vale governor and Earcroft ward councillor, said: "This is fantastic news and it's really one for the people. Hopefully, public opinion swayed the decision a little.

"I'm sure the residents and people at the school will be delighted."

This is one less thing for them to worry about."

Residents on Redvers Road and nearby Hector Road have suffered on-going problems with the newly built M65 Services and are currently fighting for a path to the site to be removed.

Terry Rose, 64, of Redvers Road, said: "The arcade would've made the street a nightmare.

"It's bad enough at the moment because we have noise all hours of the day and litter-dropping. This street's full of elderly people and there's a long way to go before it gets back to how it used to be."