A “VITAL” disabled entrance into a Darwen beauty spot is being made impassible because the council refuses to stick to a cleaning agreement, it is claimed.

The 150-metre tarmac path into Sunnyhurst Wood, opposite Salisbury Road, is the only entrance into the wood suitable for mobility vehicles and people using frames and sticks.

But the Friends of Sunnyhurst Wood group, which provides litter bins and organises litter-picks in the area, say it is becoming hazardous because visitors leave waste and the council only sends road sweepers as a “one-off”.

Friends chairman Dennis Gillibrand said: “Unfortun-ately there are a small number of inconsiderate dog owners who are too lazy to pick up the dog mess and place their litter in the bins provided by the FoSW.

“Some four years ago, the FoSW committee made arrangements through cou-ncillor Dave Smith that the disabled entrance footpath would be added to the street sweeping operating sched-ule, to carry out the 10- minute clean every nine days.

“But unless the friends group makes efforts to contact the street cleaning department for the cleaning of this particular path, we have no action from Black-burn with Darwen Council.

“It is vital that we keep the path open. The council do the clean as a one-off every now and again, but we want the permanent agreement.”

Coun Smith said: “That footpath has been a mess for years.

“It’s the main entrance into the woods and also the disabled entrance and it’s not very nice.

“A few years ago the cleaning schedule for the path was upgraded and things seemed to get better.

“But now things have changed at the council and the cleaning has fallen back again.

“I have sent a letter to the street cleaning department asking for them to take action.

“But users of the wood also need to take a resp-onsibility for their actions.”

Coun Michael Law-Riding, executive member for culture and leisure at the borough council, said: “The safety of the public is our priority.

“We appreciate that the track is steep and people need to take care especially in the autumn during leaf fall.

“However, unfortunately recent changes to the street cleansing schedules have resulted in the track not being swept.

“We have taken steps to rectify this and it will be included in the future schedule.”