Action demanded over 'danger' wall

Neighbours living in Oakley Road, Rawtenstall, said both children playing on the wall and motorists passing close by were in danger.

John Clarkson has now organised a petition in a bid to force Rossendale Council to act over the road and the boundary wall with the Masonic Hall.

Mr Clarkson said: "I have lived here for 15 years and I have seen this wall deteriorate. It is about 10ft high and the children play on the top of it.

"The brick section is where the gates used to be into the Masonic Hall and the bricks on the top have been coming off that section of wall.

"The stone wall has been bowed outwards by the trees, the plaster is coming off and the stones are being pushed out.

"When that wall collapses it could be on a car or a child. Is it going to have to take something like that to happen before anything happens?"

But at the development and environmental services committee director John Cowpe said a building inspector had surveyed the wall and not found that the wall was not in a condition which would allow the council to seek action under the Building Act.

Mr Clarkson said now the residents knew who owned the wall they would write to the Masonic Lodge to see if they would lower it.

The residents also called for Oakley Road to be made one way because there is no room for two vehicles to pass and it is currently used as a rat run.

Mr Clarkson said: "People from Haslingden trying to avoid hold ups at the traffic lights on Haslingden Old Road and delays on Haslingden Road are using this road and I have seen someone going down here at 50mph.

"There was one car came down so fast it spun round and if it hasn't been for the parking spaces it would have crashed."

The residents are also concerned about the condition of the road which has been subject to many road works and Mr Clarkson said resembles a 'patchwork'.

The committee decided not to take any action on the road but an inspection will be carried out.