RESIDENTS and green campaigners have slammed a Colne car showroom amid claims it has created an unsightly pile of earth.

Terry Noon, 66, of Burnley Road, Colne, said that work carried out to the Simpson's Skoda dealership to the rear of his house had ruined his enjoyment of the area and threatens the health of several 50-year-old trees at the site.

But bosses at the Knotts Lane garage today said that soil mounds surrounding the trees at the rear of the site were part of a state-of-the-art boundary system.

When the garage expanded last year, residents claim the company agreed that some of the mature sycamore trees would be allowed to remain, but now they fear that rubble surrounding their bases will kill them within the next two years.

Mr Noon, a keen gardener, said: "When I knew the garage was going to expand I asked them to put a fence at the border with my garden, which they have not done.

"But the biggest shame of all is that we wanted to save at least some of the trees and now it looks as though they could die because the bottom of them is covered in rubble.

"They have been there for 50 years and they are lovely trees."

Waterside councillor Edwina Sargeant said: "I just think that the business and the residents need to work together to find a solution because they need each other."

Brian Jackson, of Pendle Friends of the Earth, said: "The only living part of a tree trunk is the bark and when it is covered up like this the tree will die, which is a real shame as the residents wanted to save them."

However, a Pendle Council tree surgeon who inspected the trees revealed they are in a healthy state.

Neil Simpson, principal dealer at the Simpson's Skoda garage, said today: "We have constructed the building here at Boundary garage in the absolute terms of the plans and satisfied every condition that was put in front of us to get planning permission approved. At the request of the residents we have used a state-of-the-art weaving technique which witholds the earth to protect the trees, instead of building a concrete wall to stop the earth falling over.

"The method uses a fabric that is weaved into the soil to hold it back which was passed by the environment people and our architects."