RESIDENTS who asked for their paths to be re-flagged after the council replaced several broken paving stones with tarmacadam will have the opportunity to voice their concerns this week.

A petition containing 47 signatures was submitted to Burnley Council in June after the new surface was laid by council engineers at varying intervals along Brentwood Avenue, in Burnley.

Paving stones at the end of the residents' drives were replaced with the black top after they were pulled up to lay Nynex cables.

But residents, who have continuously referred to the replacement as "a mess", will be given the chance to speak out tomorrow at the development control and highways sub-committee.

The remainder of the paving stones along the avenue may also be replaced with tarmacadam unless the council is prepared to fund the difference in cost between the flags and black top.

Colin Spencer, who will speak at the meeting, is one of the residents who believes the paths should be flagged. He said: "Brentwood is an old fashioned avenue and we want it to remain so but at the moment it just looks a mess.

"Beechwood Avenue which is behind us and is an identical avenue looks beautiful. It was flagged about two years ago so why didn't they split the cost between the two avenues.

"I have counted the flags that are cracked and they are going to rip up 500 flags for the sake of about eight cracked ones.

"It's all got out of hand. We were quite happy with the paving stones as they were.

"We are also concerned that the tarmacadam spoils the appearance of the avenue and we just want it to retain its original appearance.

"We are going to end up with a botch job and are frightened the value of the house will drop as well.

"Even if the path has to be re-surfaced it would look better in red to match the houses rather than black."

Members of the sub-committee have been recommended to note the petition and decide whether to ask the resources committee for the difference in the cost of re-flagging as opposed to blacktop surfacing.