ENVIRONMENTAL chiefs in Hyndburn are launching a blitz on people who do not use their wheelie bins.

Residents could be facing fines of up to £1,000 as part of the council's zero tolerance campaign. Householders in the the Woodnook area of Accrington, where some people do not use their wheeled bins, will be among those targeted next week.

They will receive written warnings from the council in an attempt to persuade them to use the bins. If they do not co-operate they will be taken to court where the fines could be imposed under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Council environmental bosses say there have been pockets of resistance in the four priority wards of Barnfield, Spring Hill, Church and Central.

They say some residents have ignored the bins since they were introduced earlier this year in a bid to improve the council's recycling figures.

Earlier this month the council announced it would be adopting a zero tolerance stance to clean up the borough

Woodnook is part of the Barnfield ward, which was one of the borough's four priority wards to receive the wheeled bins after a successful £275,000 bid for Neighbourhood Renewal Fund cash.

But environment portfolio holder Coun Ann Scaife said some people in Woodnook were still using black bags for their rubbish.

"Some people are lending their bins to neighbours so the neighbour has two, which they are not putting out. They are just putting black bags out. After the letters come the fines. If they keep using bin bags it's fixed penalties.

"When we visited Woodnook people just said they thought it was better with black bags. Seventy per cent just don't seem to want to come on board with it."

Steve Todd, head of environmental health, said: "We have a number of people who are not taking their wheeled bins out We are bringing that to their attention and if they don't co-operate we will prosecute."