FURIOUS residents are protesting about fly-tipping behind a Blackburn street.

Rubbish dumping at the back of Mosley Street is "disgraceful" and "dangerous", say parents worried for the health and safety of their children.

Old settees and smashed televisions are piled up with dirty mattresses and spilled bags of household waste at the entry to the rear of the houses.

And Frank Thomas says the problem is not a new one.

He lives in the street with his wife Susan and their children aged 15, 13 and 12.

Mr Thomas said: "This problem has been going on for months.

"The back entry is disgraceful, let alone dangerous.

"The children don't have anywhere else to play out because we live on a busy street and I am afraid there is a real danger of disease and a chance they will injure themselves on something left lying around.

"We don't know where this rubbish comes from, whether people who live nearby just dump their unwanted belongings outside or whether people come from farther afield just to tip outside our houses,

"But it is a real health problem."

Albert Wilkinson, environmental services manager for Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: "There is no need for this type of rubbish dumping in the borough of Blackburn with Darwen.

"The council has a 'don't dump it we'll shift it policy' whereby we will remove household furniture free of charge from a back yard or back garden within five working days of a request to do so.

"We urge residents who see anybody fly-tipping to contact us immediately, in confidence, and we will take action against the perpetrators.

"We will be going to the rear of Mosley Street to remove the offending items."