THE Environment Agency is investigating claims that workmen dumped rubble into a family-run nursery through a hole in a hedge.

Barbara Moss, 51, who runs Springwood Nurseries, Springwood Road, Burnley, complained to the government body after she discovered rubbish and rubble dumped on the nursery premises next to a hole cut in the perimeter hedge.

The owner of a Barrowford-based firm, Dixon Groundwork -- which recently carried out work at a property that backed on to the nursery -- has denied dumping rubble.

Robert Dixon says he did not remove any part of the hawthorn hedge when he built a wall at the bottom of a garden on Bunshaw Avenue.

He also said that he cleared the rubbish when he returned to rebuild the wall because it had cracked.

Mrs Moss, who runs the nursery with her brothers Barry, 55, Trevor, 46, and Stuart, 42, said: "When we challenged him about the rubble the first time he said it was our rubbish, not his. But we have a skip for ours."

She admits that he did eventually clear some of it up but said that he left some in between the wall and the hedge, which was now pushing the hedge out.

Mrs Moss, who has run the nursery for more than 25 years, said: "It is upsetting that someone would do something like that. We don't want to fall out with anyone, but it is not fair of him to leave all the rubbish on our land."

But Mr Dixon, 47, said: "I did not remove any of the hedge -- I had no reason to touch the hedge. If there was any more rubbish there I would have held my hands up and I would have removed it, but there wasn't because I cleared it all up on my second visit. I cannot see what their problem is at all."

A spokesman for the Environment Agency confirmed that they had received a complaint from Springwood Nurseries and said officers from the agency would be investigating.