TWO new piles of rubbish have appeared in Darwen in the latest incident in a ‘spate of fly-tipping’ in the town.

The mounds of household waste and furnishings were spotted on Higher Church Street in Sunnyhurst.

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Their appearance follows repeated illegal tipping problems in Sudell around Olive Lane and Tythebarn Street.

Sunnyhurst Labour councillor Dave Smith said: “We did have a lull but recently we are suffering from a spate of fly-tipping right across Darwen.

“I know there are several prosecutions and we need people to realise this is unacceptable and the culprits will be caught and fined.”

Last month Geoffrey Metcalfe of Snape Street in Sudell paid a total penalty of £1,249 after being convicted in his absence of fly-tipping.

Blackburn magistrates were told that officers found a pile of black bags on May 13.

They had been dumped by Mr Metcalfe in defiance of a warning notice.

The borough council has three more prosecutions pending in the ward where it is conducting a special clean-up and enforcement exercise.

Cllr Smith said: “I came across two two huge piles of rubbish, almost mountains of waste, in the back alley of Higher Church Street.

“It looked like the contents of a whole house had just been dumped.

“Things had been better for a while, but seem to have got worse again recently.

“The council has been quick off the mark to arrange for it to be cleared.

“Enforcement officers think they may know the culprit and local residents witnessed the incident.”

Sudell ward councillor Jane Oates said: “I am pleased that the borough is taking the people responsible for this dumping to court.

“Dave [Smith] is right, we do have a spate of fly-tipping at the moment in Sudell and across Darwen.”

Borough environment boss Jim Smith says the crackdown on fly-tippers is being extended.

The council chief said: “Fly-tipping is an illegal activity and we are working hard to clamp down on it.

“Our recent tougher enforcement activity is being extended to Sudell ward.

“We are aware of a fly-tipping incident behind a house in Higher Church Street in Darwen and have given notice to those responsible to remove the waste.”