RESIDENTS say they are disgusted by litter left strewn around alleyways near their homes -- and fear rats will soon be plaguing their property.

Christina Bishop, 56, of Snape Street, Darwen, said the back alleyway between her street and Preston Street was littered with rubbish such as food, clothes and dirty nappies.

She said: "I have lived here for the past two years and there has always been rubbish lying about but the problem does seem to have got worse since Christmas.

"This kind of thing encourages vermin - it's just disgusting."

Mrs Bishop suggested to the council that a hand sweeper was used in the area instead of the normal road sweeper.

She said: "The rubbish falls out of bins and is just left there. The road sweeper comes round every Friday but it doesn't pick up all the rubbish."

She added:" I'm just sick of seeing it, all the alleyways around here seem to be pretty much the same."

Executive Member for Housing Neighbourhood Services, Coun Mohammed Khan said : "Around the middle of January we received a complaint regarding rubbish in the back street between Snape Street and Preston Street.

"Within five working days council officers removed the rubbish and as far as we were concerned the problem was resolved. In the light of this second complaint an inspector will go out today to review the situation and take any necessary action.

"Members of the public should contact ourselves or the police if they see anybody fly-tipping."

Residents in nearby Cavendish Street and Argyle Street have complained that their rubbish had not been collected for a fortnight and their alleyway was filthy. The council said cars blocking access to wheelie bins was the cause of the problem.