RESIDENTS of a neighbourhood have banded together to buy their own CCTV to tackle years of fly-tipping in their back streets.

The raised £800 with the aid of their local ward councillors to pay for the three cameras on the alleys behind Warrington Street and Providence Street in Little Harwood, Blackburn.

The system went live last week and the householders hope word will get round and the dumping which has plagued their neighbourhood will stop.

Little Harwood and Whitebirk ward's Cllr Naushad Surve said: "There has been a fly-tipping problem on these two back alleys for several years. Its the worst area for it in the ward.

"They dump all sorts of things there - fridges, other white goods, mattresses, doors and building materials.

"The residents were really fed up.

"We asked the council for CCTV but we're put on a waiting list for the loan of their equipment.

"It could have taken ages so the residents got together to raise the £800 for three cameras.

"Led by Suleman Rondera and Mustaq Gira they raised £700 so I and fellow ward councillor Abdul Patel made up the remaining £100.

"About 40 residents chipped in. They accept the council has a shortage of resources so decided to take action as a community.

"The cameras are high-resolution and we can send images of anyone flytipping to Blackburn with Darwen council for enforcement and prosecution."We hope to catch some of those responsible and deter anyone anyone from dumping rubbish in Little Harwood's back alleys."

Cllr Jim Smith, the council’s environment boss, said: “Flytipping is unacceptable. People who dump rubbish do not care about the impact is has on people’s lives and our neighbourhoods.

“We have had several complaints of flytipping this area and on each occasion we investigated the complaint, looking for evidence of those responsible, as well as removing the rubbish.

" Unfortunately, to help bring the culprits to justice we need people who see flytipping taking place to report it and to provide witness statements.

“The residents did approach us to see if we could install CCTV cameras but unfortunately our resources are limited and all our mobile cameras, which we use to deter and catch flytipping, are currently being used elsewhere. We are pleased that the residents are following others across the borough in providing their own CCTV to tackle flytipping .”

People can report flytipping online at http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/Pages/Litter-and-fly-tipping.aspx