RESIDENTS said they are “disgusted” at the poor attempt at road resurfacing work carried out in Oswaldtwistle.

Cars in Blackburn Road were resurfaced around and one resident’s block paving was “covered with tar” during the work carried out by Lancashire County Council’s highways department.

Notices were put up asking residents to move their vehicles ahead of the scheduled improvements, which they complied with, only for workmen to arrive two days late.

County Hall bosses said enough notice was given and that they could not reach the owner of the parked car.

Further work is due to be carried out once the county council has liaised with the car owner to arrange a time.

Michael Booth, 65, who has lived in Blackburn Road for eight years, said: “This has never happened before. Everybody is disgusted with what has been done.

“Everybody moved their cars for work to start on Thursday, June 16, and Friday, June 17, but they didn’t turn up.

“They resurfaced around a car further down from us. The mess they have made is unbelievable.”

“One lady’s block paving was covered in tar and she had some thrown into her garden, which she had had to clean up.

“They have only just marked out the bus stops and lanes for the Pennine Reach scheme but the money they spent on that has been wasted because they have just redressed it all.

“They didn’t turn up when they should have done and it is a complete mess.”

Improvement works began in Blackburn Road on Sunday, June 19, two days after a no-parking warning was issued to residents.

The notice said that work could be carried out over the next week, from Wednesday, July 15, the county council said.

Marcus Leigh, county council highways manager, said: “The notices put up to inform residents about the surface dressing on Blackburn Road said that work could be carried out over the following week from Wednesday, July 15.

“We build in some flexibility as we need dry weather to do this sort of work, which means we sometimes start later than the first day given, as was the case here.

“When we encounter a parked car and cannot contact the owner at the time work is being carried out, we work around the car and later contact the owner to let them know when we will return to complete the work.

“I would ask anyone who has a complaint about bitumen on their driveway to contact our call centre, as we will inspect and clean it off if necessary.”