A FORMER Ribble Valley mayor is at the centre of a row over an eyesore which villagers claim is scuppering their chances of success in a top competition.

Anthony Jackson, who was mayor in 1993 and a Ribchester parish councillor for 20 years, owns an 'ugly and unsightly' derelict petrol station in the village centre.

Residents intent on winning the Best Kept Village competition claim their pleas for the building to be demolished have fallen on stony ground.

Now they are to put their case to borough councillors tomorrow night.

But the former mayor said he had every intention of demolishing the building as soon as he got planning permission to redevelop the site and denied he had been contacted over the matter.

Members of the Ribble Valley Parish Councils' liaison committee will hear that the garage occupies a prominent position in the picturesque village. A statement due to be given to the meeting says: "Residents pass it daily and are becoming increasingly depressed and frustrated at its appearance, which seriously detracts from the general attraction of the village and must give an extremely poor impression to visitors.

"Its presence will inevitably prejudice our prospects in the Best Kept Village competition. There is growing feeling that the state of the site is unacceptable and we are being pressed to take action.

"We have tried an informal approach to the owner, but to no effect. We have written to him pointing out the concern expressed about the condition of the site and asking him to take action to improve it. We have received no reply and no improvement is evident."

A Ribchester contingent will ask the meeting for advice on how to tackle the matter.

Mr Jackson said he was surprised by the parish council's stance.

"The council hasn't approached me at all. Plans to develop the site are being considered by planners and I have every intention of demolishing the garage as soon as possible. The sooner I can get started the better.

"If parish councillors had been decent enough to discuss their concerns with me first, I would have explained the situation to them. I certainly haven't been contacted and am surprised by all this."

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