A MOUND of rubbish at an unoccupied Darwen house that is thought to have been there for nearly five months.

Jonathan Gardner who lives next door to the where the rubbish has been tipped has complained that it has created hellish living conditions for him, despite his efforts to contact the council and get the matter sorted out.

He made contact with Blackburn with Darwen council around four months ago but the case was closed due to it not being classed as a major hazard.

But Mr Gardner said there had been further flytipping and it was a disgrace no action had been taken.

He said: “There are currently about 26 bags of rubbish that have been dumped in the back garden along with furniture like sofas and all sorts.

“All summer I have not been able to go out for a barbecue or anything because it stinks and because it looks so bad.

“I’ve got two kids and it’s not a nice environment for them to go outside in.

“I think it’s absolutely disgusting that it has taken so long for the council to do something.

“I first told them four months ago after it the tenants dumped it all when they moved out, but they dropped the case and have now had to reopen another one. I personally think it’s a fire hazard and there are flies and slugs everywhere.”

Mr Gardner, who said the house had been unoccupied for months, was told by the borough council that the owners of the property will be given 28 days to remove the rubbish and only after that can they step in and take action.

He said: “Even if they do decide it is a hazard this time, it could be there for another month or more before it’s gone, then we’re getting on for about seven or eight months that it will have been there.”

A council spokesman said: “We have received a new complaint about new waste and this has been forwarded to an officer to re-investigate.

“In this case it is the responsibility of the home owner to remove the waste as it is on their land.

“If the problem amounts to a statutory nuisance the relevant notices will be served.

“If the notice is not complied with the council is then able to remove the waste.”