A GROUP of residents battling with their council over who should pay for the repair of their road have been urged by their neighbours to drop their case and let the work go ahead.

Around seven residents from Higher Croft Road, Lower Darwen, have lodged their intent to appeal in court over who has responsibility for maintaining their street after they lost a court battle to the council last month.

A judge decided that Higher Croft Road was an unadopted road and not the responsibility of Blackburn with Darwen Council. He said the residents would be liable to pay for the repair work.

But now other residents living in the street have spoken out against the protesters, saying that if they had agreed to pay the cost, the uneven road would now be resurfaced.

Andrew Greenwood, a member of the Higher Croft Road Residents' Association, said: "If we pay towards the road being resurfaced the council would then come along and maintain it.

"Some people will have to pay between £2,000 and £3,000 for the work and some of them are pensioners but it can be paid in instalments. If everyone had been happy about paying originally we would have a nice shiny road by now."

But resident Gary Parker, one of those hoping to appeal, said: "Our opinion is that the council should foot the bill.

"We feel the differing amounts people have been asked to contribute to the work are unfair, with one person having to pay £5,000 and another £500.

"I understand that some people want the road done quickly but if they've waited this long for it to be surfaced surely they can wait a little longer to see if the council can pay for it instead."