DOMESTIC rubbish deliveries to a controversial waste site in Burnley Wood are due to stop in the next week.

The Lancashire Telegraph reported last week how residents living near Oxford Mill Waste Transfer Station blamed it for invasions of rats and flies in their homes.

Now businesses at the Oxford Road building have pledged to stop storing rotting food and litter after pressure by Burnley’s Environmental Action Group and Burnley MP Gordon Birtwistle.

The Environment Agency permit to carry out waste operations at the site belongs to Hapton Trading Ltd, which has sorted and recycled waste there since August 1994.

County Coun Margaret Brindle said the decision was to be welcomed, but that an end to domestic deliveries was merely ‘the lesser of two evils’.

The Lib Dem said: “There were discussions going on between the site owner Frank Owen and Mr Birtwistle, who knows him from previous dealings.

“We are hoping the last delivery will be today for the horrible domestic waste which has been causing the trouble.

“The mill will be cleared of waste over the next fortnight and it will be cleaned and revert to what it was for before – rubble.

“The residents have been told and we should have a bit of success.”

Sheree Welsby, co-founder of Burnley’s Environmental Action Group, said she was sceptical whether the mill’s bosses would keep their promise.

Miss Welsby, of Branch Road, said: “It would be fantastic but I don’t think it will happen. I noticed they’ve put in some brand new shutters, which is a start.

“We are going to stay organised and go ahead with our meeting to keep the pressure on.”

The group will meet at Burnley Wood Terracefields Training and Community Centre, in Spr- ingfield Road, on Tuesday, June 10 from 6.30pm.

Mr Owen did not respond to the Lancashire Telegraph’s request for a comment.