THE state of a wildlife haven behind a council’s headquarters has been slammed — for the second time in two years.

Platts Lodge, directly behind Hyndburn Council’s base in Accrington, forms part of the Hyndburn Greenway walk, and has been described as an ‘urban oasis’ in the heart of town.

Reclaimed from old industrial land in 2007, it was officially recognised as a key nature reserve in 2009.

Fears were first raised about the site last June by Accrington man Andrew Dwyer and now, the customer services team leader has again spoken out after taking pictures of dead birds and fish spotted there.

In an email to the council, he said: “Directly behind your offices is a little lodge. I am ashamed to walk past it every morning. Over the last month, I have been taking photographs of the state it has now become.

“I have pictures of dead birds and fish and I am going to contact every wildlife agency I can find.

“The area is a wildlife sanctuary and should not be open to the public. I suggest you walk along the path and look for yourself what it has become.”

Mr Dwyer told the Lancashire Telegraph he walks past the lodge every morning on his way to work, and described it as a ‘shambles’.

He said: “It’s just getting worse and worse. There’s litter everywhere. I have got pictures of the new bin overflowing, past its collection date. In the past, I’ve even had to report kids to the police because they were poking a nesting Canadian goose with a stick, and throwing stones at it. I yelled at them to stop and they went away, but they came back and started doing it again.” A spokesman for Hyndburn Council said the land was not their responsibility, but that of the Globe Centre nearby. A spokeswoman for the Globe Centre declined to comment.