A WOMAN who was told to knock down her garden wall because the council said it restricted the view of drivers may get to keep it after all.

Margaret Eatough was astounded when Hyndburn Council threw out the application in April, because directly opposite the wall there is a council lamppost restricting the view in the other direction.

The 1.8 metre-high wall was built along the garden at the side of her home in Blackburn Road, Clayton-le-Moors, without planning permission.

But when the householder did apply, council officers said it impeded the view of drivers coming from the left on the main road for drivers waiting to leave a private road at the end of a row of houses.

Officers said a lamppost on the same side of the road obstructs the view of Traffic approaching from the right, and by the time drivers clear that, there is an unobstructed view to the left.

The application was resubmitted to the council's development control committee this week with a recommendation to refuse it, but members decided to ask Mrs Eatough to alter the corner of the wall to allow a clearer view before making a final decision.

Coun Dave Parkins, chairman of the committee, said: "I went out to see this on a site visit with an officer and we did come out of that junction and you cannot see a thing until your wheels are on the road. If there is a vehicle coming down Blackburn Road, overtaking, you haven't got a chance."

Coun Tim O'Kane said: "I sat in a car and didn't have a problem seeing. I could see all the way up to the traffic calming measure.

"I really appreciate residents' concerns about visibility to the right which is obscured by a council lamppost.

"We can't be concerned about it on one side of the road and not concerned about on the other side of the road."

Coun Edith Dunstan said: "I'm concerned about that junction because of the traffic on Blackburn Road. Traffic comes down it at speed."

Coun Wyn Frankland said: "I have checked it out -- it's blind."

Mrs Eatough declined to comment.