A last-ditch attempt to save three East Lancashire waste recycling centres has failed.

Community leaders have reacted angrily over plans to close the centres in cost-cutting measures by Lancashire County Council.

Following a consultation the council decided to axe its waste collection services at sites in Langho, Longridge and Padiham.

Liberal Democrats on the council forced a special meeting to review the closures.

Clitheroe Lib Dem councillor Allan Knox, who is also a county councillor, said: “It is wrong for LCC to think it knows best.

"We would get a more robust decision if they consulted each of the districts and users of these facilities.”

But the scrutiny committee voted seven to three against the ‘call in’ to reverse the decision with the closures going ahead at the end of the year.

Coun Knox added: “The Petre Arms recycling centre is well-used and well-liked by people in the area.

“I cannot understand how it makes any sense to close a facility such as this when we are trying to increase recycling.

“Residents are rightly questioning the logic that will see them have to produce more C02 to carry out their recycling.

“The irony about the decision the scrutiny committee made not to ask the deputy leader to think again is that it was taken on the first day of recycling week.”

The sites are being closed to help plug a £12.5million hole in the council’s budget.

The Langho (Petre) HWRC, in Whalley Road, which has been open for 29 years, serves around 16,000 people, and processes around 4,200 tonnes of waste each year.