A GREEN campaigner has criticised council and Environment Agency bosses for leaving a deer to rot near a children's playground.

Brian Jackson, of Pendle Friends of the Earth, has branded it "outrageous" that a dead deer's body is still in Colne Water a week after being reported to the authorities.

The body, which is adjacent to the children's play area in Ball Grove Park, near Colne, was reported to the council by a member of the public.

The council passed the complaint to the Environment Agency, which usually monitors rivers.

Mr Jackson, of Winewall, Trawden, said: "The fact that nothing has been done is not just unfortunate, it's outrageous.

"We are not talking about rocket science and you would think the Environment Agency would be able to do something about this.

"It's rotting and it's very close to a children's playground where children might go in the water and we shouldn't be taking risks with children's lives.

"I expect there are many carcasses that go unnoticed but the ones that are should be dealt with with a certain amount of rapidity and dignity on health grounds at least."

Bryan Thompson, environmental projects and policy manager at Pendle Council, said the council had received a complaint from a member of the public about the body and had also spoken to Mr Jackson and had passed the report to the Environment Agency.

He said: "The council doesn't have the staff or the equipment to carry out this operation in a river.

"As far as I'm concerned the responsibility lies with the Environment Agency."

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: "The district council should be the first port of call.

"If it was causing a flood defence problem, then we might be involved but if it's not posing any flood or pollution risk then it would be for the council to deal with."