WITH reference to the remarks of Mr T Howarth (Letters, March 17), I would like to put him right about the waste ground in Ribblesdale Place, Blackburn.

We residents have reported tipping to the council several times, even supplying names and addresses.

Over the past year, we have written to Blackburn with Darwen Council, Jack Straw, the Environmental Health Department and our local councillors. The results of all our efforts were an eyesore and a health hazard.

Sam Spence, our neighbour, has been the subject of abuse and vandalism following his efforts to persuade the council to act - and even ridicule from certain councillors in this page.

Our petition to the Lancashire Evening Telegraph was a last-ditch attempt to get something done and, thanks to the publicity we received, the area has now been cleared.

No, we didn't just 'sit behind our aspidistras,' we forced the council to get off theirs!!

CHRISTINE NEWTON, Ribblesdale Place, Blackburn.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.