A PET owner has complained after dog dirt bins were left unemptied and overflowing in a park where children play and walk to school.

Colin Duerden regularly walks his dog through Blackburn’s Griffin Park and said the bins had not been emptied for at least three weeks.

He added: “The state of the dog bins is disgraceful.

“I rang Blackburn with Darwen Council for the first time three weeks ago and have rung every week since but nothing has been done.

“They just say they’ll make a note of it. It’s disgraceful.”

Staff at Griffin Park Primary School said parents were deeply concerned about the issue and saw it as a health risk to children going to and from school.

They are also concerned about the amount of litter in the park, after one of the park’s two bins was set on fire and never replaced.

Wayne Waddington, the school’s site supervisor said: “There’s the same number of people using the park, but fewer bins.

“I first reported it 12 months ago but the bin still hasn’t been replaced.

“I have been told by my boss to clean it up because the school gets so many complaints about it so I go out once or twice a week to pick up rubbish but it’s a public park and I’m not sure it’s my job.

“You can just imagine the things I’ve had to pick up. It’s a disgrace.”

Mill Hill councillor Carol Walsh said: “The cuts to public services are really beginning to show now.

“I was made aware of this problem on Monday and I’ve been down and seen it myself.

“I will be reporting it to the council. It is absolutely disgusting.”

Executive member for environment at Blackburn with Darwen Council, Coun Jim Smith said: “A member of the council's street cleansing team is scheduled to visit the area to empty all of the bins.

“We will keep on top of this issue going forward.”