LIGHT shining from unauthorised advertising signs upset residents and annoyed the council.

One resident even had to go and sleep in another bedroom, Hyndburn magistrates were told.

London-based Citilite Limited was fined a total of £1,000 and ordered to pay £120 costs after it admitted five offences of installing advertisement panels without the consent of the local authority.

The five illuminated panels, one of which did not light up due to a problem with the electricity supply, appeared in April and May this year, the court was told.

Three were fixed to walls in Whalley Road, Clayton-le-Moors, and High Street, Rishton.

Two were fixed to the pavement near the traffic light junction of Whalley Road and Queens Road, Accrington.

The bench was told that all five had been installed by Citilite Limited, of Lower Grosvenor Place, without advertisement consent being applied for.

Hyndburn Council solicitor Gordon McMillan said a lot of complaints were received about the illuminated pavement signs in Whalley Road. On resident had been caused distress by light illuminating her bedroom at night and had to move into another bedroom.

Citilite eventually disconnected and removed the signs.

In a letter to the court, Citilite pleaded guilty to the technical breaches, adding that the regulations were complex and they believed they had enjoyed deemed consent.

The company said there had been no complaint of there being a threat to public safety, and that they were not large hoardings but small well-designed panels, well maintained and inspected.

Citilite added that they had agreed to rectify the situation when the breaches were brought to their attention, regretted being in breach and would not offend again.

The council has now received applications from Citilite for the five sites.

Four have been refused and a decision has not yet been reached on the fifth in Rishton.

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