CLAIMS have been made that an area has turned into “an unofficial rubbish tip” after a spate of flytipping incidents left residents furious.

A mattress, a leather sofa and dozens of bags of rubbish are among the items dumped in the Exchange Street, Heys Lane and Dove Lane during the latest spate of flytipping this week.

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On Tuesday morning a sofa was left in the alley to the rear of Heys Lane and stone steps on a communal grassed area popular with dog walkers off Dove Lane were blocked by an old double mattress.

Residents and local councillors have spoken about the “lack of community spirit” among the minority who are blighting the neighbourhood.

One nearby resident, who didn’t wish to be named, said: “It leaves me feeling disgusted when I see how little respect people have for the area they live in.

“The area close to the railway bridge is just used as an unofficial dump.

“I’ve seen fridges, old washing machines, broken up furniture and bags of rubbish just dropped there.

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“It encourages, vermin, causes smells and looks terrible. People should just have more respect for themselves and others.”

Sudell Ward councillor, Roy Davies, said many of the problems centred around unoccupied houses in the area.

He said: “There’s a boarded up property on Exchange Street and rubbish has been dumped in the yard and spilled out on to the alley.

“The council always respond to these incidents and I’ve e-mailed them about it today.

“People see one black bag in an alley and take that as signal, the next day there can be 50.

“The minority who do this are letting down all of their neighbours and showing a lack of community spirit.”

Blackburn with Darwen Council said it aimed to ensure the borough was kept clean, and those who are found to have dumped rubbish were prosecuted and named and shamed in the press.