A PENSIONER has criticised council environmental bosses after being met with what she claims is a wall of silence over the ‘disgusting’ state of the alleyway behind her house.

Maud Pickup, 83, from Lynwood Road, Blackburn said binmen have refused to empty overflowing wheelie bins, leaving rubbish to rot, cats to tear up black bags full of putrid waste and dirty nappies lying in the street.

The problem got so bad in recent warm weather that she said she couldn’t open her windows due to the appalling stench and swarms of flies.

Mrs Pickup, who has lived in her property for more than 20 years, said: “People are putting whatever out and not using the correct bins. They are overflowing and disgusting.

“When it’s warm I can’t even open my windows because of the smell and the flies.

“It’s getting so bad that I’m worried about health problems.

“Cats are starting to tear open the black bags and it can’t be long before rats turn up too.

“Binmen won’t come down there because there’s a pile of bricks and sand blocking the way, and they won’t take bins when the lids won’t shut because they are too full.”

She added: “I have phoned the council three or four times but they haven’t been round to look at the problem. I’m certain they could be doing more for the amount of council tax I pay.”

A spokesman for Blackburn with Darwen Council said the complaints were currently being investigated by an enforcement officer from environmental services.