MORE than 50 people from south-west Blackburn made their voices heard last night.

Residents from the Livesey with Pleasington, Fernhurst, Meadowhead, Mill Hill and Ewood wards took part in the Neighbourhood Voices meeting, organised by Blackburn with Darwen Council, at the Livesey All Ages Centre.

They told council and health officials that they were fed up with youth nuisance, speeding traffic and a lack of community facilities.

But they said they lived in good communities, with friendly neighbourhoods and dedicated police officers, and praised the council for its work to improve the area over the past few years.

Particular problems highlighted included difficulties with private landlords in the Griffin area, illegal parking in Ewood on Blackburn Rovers home match days and need for low-cost transport.

Director of development for Blackburn with Darwen Primary Care Trust Craig Oates, told the meeting: "We have had some fantastic views and ideas tonight and it would be criminal of us to leave these things behind.

"We are going to feed everything we have been told into our initiatives. The community has made a massive investment in us and hopefully in the next year or so we can do the same for you."