ENVIRONMENTAL health officers are to question contractors Carillion after workers on the former Sainsburys site woke residents at 2am.

This is the second time complaints have been made about the firms middle-of-the-night operations, after the police were called to the site last July because of drilling noise.

In the latest incident, workmen were seen entering the construction site in Fairfax Road at 10pm on Saturday. Noisy work continued on the site until well after midnight and at 1.45am on Sunday, one resident of Rectory Green was awoken by the din and workmen shouting from the structure.

The resident, who did not wish to be named, said: "The noise was like a quieter version of a helicopter hovering overhead. I contacted the police, but was told to report it to the environmental health department.

"I accept it is not normally a police matter, but what else can you do when there is a disturbance taking place at that time in the morning? I think it is totally unacceptable that Carillion are carrying out this work when there are residents asleep."

The development of apartments and shops is being built for Countryside Properties and despite hundreds of objections, planning permission was controversially passed in 2003.

The site's Considerate Construction banner should be removed, said the resident.

A spokesman for Bury Council's environmental health department said: "We do have powers to deal with this problem under the Control of Pollution Act 1974 and will be following up the complaint with certainty."

A spokesman for Carillion said: "We hold our hands up. We were working at that time. Once we start a concrete pour, we have to finish it or it sets and there must have been a delay to cause us to work late.

"We apologise for the disturbance and I understand it is extremely inconvenient for residents but sometimes it is beyond our control."