RESIDENTS are calling on the council to make urgent repairs to a “dangerous” metre-deep hole at a busy junction.

The road at the junction of Cotton Hall Street and Richmond Terrace has been deteriorating for years according to locals, who say the hole has been there for two months and is getting bigger.

There is a safety barrier around the hole, but repair work has not started.

One resident, who asked not to be named, said: “It’s in quite a dangerous position, being on a junction. Cars have to swing right round to avoid it.

"Not only that, all it would take is someone to remove the barriers at night, which kids do often, then a serious accident could happen.

"Some road repairs have just been done outside the Prince of Wales, just up the road, so why could they not do this repair as a matter of urgency? The mind boggles.”

Sudell councillor Paul Browne said he would raise the issue up with council officers.

“It’s a very big hole and all they’ve done so far is put up three bits of fencing around it,” he said.

“It must be a very serious problem to get such subsidence and it is a busy junction. Action is needed now.”

Councillor Dave Holl-ings agreed. He said: “It’s been like this for several weeks and something more than erecting plastic, orange fencing needs to be done. It is a very busy junction and there are a lot of heavy lorries using it because of the factory there.”

Simon Littler, asset manager for Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: “We suspect the hole was caused by a sewer collapse and the case had been passed to United Utilities for investigation. We are still waiting for a response.

“However, we are now planning our own inv-estigation next week to ensure the problem is solved as quickly as possible.

“Barriers have been put in place to ensure the safety of drivers and pedestrians and our inspectors check the site on a regular basis to make sure they remain in place.”

United Utilities said it is investigating.