A BACK alley is so filthy and strewn with rubbish that it has become a rat den, a resident has said.

Imran Valimulla, from Blackburn, said he has been complaining about fly-tipping at the back of Walter Street for 10 years.

Despite the street having back alley gates, he said neighbours are dumping rubbish including pallets and carpets and it is attracting dozens of rats.

Mr Valimulla, 47, who has lived on the street since he was born, said: “In one of the houses , there is a back garden full of rubbish that the council are always cleaning.

“There is a massive rat den in the garden toilet and the whole back alley is like this.

“You can see dozens of rats, some of which are bigger than bricks.”

Fed up and demanding action, Mr Valimulla has called on Blackburn with Darwen Council to install CCTV cameras down the back alley and get tougher on fly-tippers.

He said: “There has been fly-tipping down this back alley for the last 10 years despite there being alley gates.

“This is because the residents down there are dumping rubbish themselves from pallets to household goods, both in back gardens and on the street.

“The council will come and clean it and then they’ll do it again.

“Tougher action is needed to deter these people and I’d like to see the council hand out fines, install CCTV and hand out prison sentences.

“The mess down here is absolutely disgusting and it’s like a rubbish tip,” he added.

Borough environment boss Cllr Jim Smith said the council acts on any reports of fly-tipping.

He said: “I’m not aware of this fly-tipping but if we receive a report of it, we’ll clean it up.

“And if we can identify the perpetrators, we can fine them up to £300 on the spot.

“We can use the money from fines to install cameras which we do have up on streets.

“If a street where they’re needed is identified, we’ll look at putting CCTV up.

“It’s very disappointing that some people are prepared to live in filth and as a council we’ll do all we can to keep the streets of the borough clean from fly-tipping,” he added.

Mr Valimulla’s concerns come after resident John McGurk hit out at similar fly-tipping behind a row of houses on Whitebirk Road, Intack, Blackburn.