CALLS have been made to clear tonnes of flytipping after the rubbish was set ablaze by vandals.

An investigation has been launched into the fire at Rhyddings Mill in Oswaldtwistle on Sunday.

The latest attack comes almost four months after the Environment Agency launched an investigation into who had dumped the waste at the Stone Bridge Lane site.

County Councillor Peter Britcliffe, who represents Oswaldtwistle, has called for more to be done to make sure the waste gets removed as soon as possible.

He said: “It’s a sad situation.

“The stench was awful.

“The people dealing with it don’t seem to have the teeth to get the problem resolved.

“It’s caused an increased number of flies in the surrounding area.

“Another one of the problems with the building is that it is full of asbestos.

“I feel residents expect more from agencies to deal with problems like this.”

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service sent two crews to deal with the blaze at around 4.20pm on Sunday, including the ‘stinger’ pump from Blackburn.

A spokesman for the service said: “The cause of this fire has to be established. There were no casualties.”

An investigation was first launched into the site in March by the Environment Agency after it was reported ‘an industrial amount of waste’ had been dumped ‘illegally’.

Hyndburn Council said it had sprayed the rubbish to keep the number of flies in the area down.

Cllr Stewart Eaves, who represents the area on the council, said work needs to be done to improve the site.

He said: “There has been problems in the past with flies on that site and people trespassing on it.

“The hot weather recently certainly hasn’t helped and that has seen more problems come up with flies.

“The Environment Agency have been on the site before, but I think ultimately it comes down to the owners.

“That whole area from Oswald House along to the mill is in need of sorting out.

“It would be ideal if someone would invest in the site for something such as housing, that should be the way forward.”

Oswaldtwistle has previously had troubles with a ‘plague of flies’ at the NIPA Laboratories site in Nook Lane in 2012.

The Environment Agency were unable to comment as the Lancashire Telegraph went to print.