THE man who came home to find a 29 metre steel chimney behind his house has met with company bosses to ask for compensation.

Bob Leigh, of Belgrave Road, Darwen, found the exhaust stack had blocked his view of the Blacksnape countryside.

Mr Leigh, who said he has spent £13,000 on developing his home over the last six years, claimed he was refused any pay out by officials at Crown Wallcoverings, Darwen, after they put up the structure just metres away from his back yard.

He said: "I went in and told them the story and how much I had spent on my house but they didn't want to know.

"It would have been better even if they had put it 10 or 15ft across behind the conifers so I could still have my view. I just wish I had been properly informed. I've been told applications went up on lamp-posts but they can't expect people to go out and inspect those every day."

Peter Kuit from Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council said they had contacted residents who lived closer to where the chimney was going to be built and had only had one objection.

Councillor Dave Hollins said he supported the building of the chimney after reassurance from environmental health that it would ease the smell coming from the plant.

Bob Watson, managing director of Crown, said: "Naturally, once we heard we had a concerned neighbour we went to see him to understand at first hand what his concerns were and explained that we had followed the correct process.

"I don't know of any grounds where compensation could be given in a case like this."