RESIDENTS are campaigning for the removal of a path which leads to Darwen's new McDonald's.

People in Redvers Road claim the route was not included in council plans.

Linda Chelton, 31, who organised a meeting about the path to which more than 20 residents turned up, said: "A fair few of us went to the planning meeting in the first place and were assured that there wouldn't be access through our street to the new McDonald's. If it was on the plans, we would have objected right away."

A gravel path has since been built connecting Redvers Road and Hector Road to the service station restaurant off the M65. The road is made up mostly of sheltered accommodation for the elderly.

Nicola Winward, 36, is one of two young mothers who live in the street.

She said: "Now we have gangs of kids hanging around and more litter than we've ever had before.

"This street is made up of elderly people, and how must it feel for them?

There are two families on this street and we both have four-year-olds. I don't want them hanging around the service station when they grow up."

According to residents, a small fence at the bottom of the road is not enough to stop people getting through.

Stuart Chelton, 30, said: "It's a tiny fence that even my four-year-old boy could get over. And now we have kids hanging around at midnight and all hours."

Terry Rose, 64, claimed the council had changed the plans in an 'underhand' way.

He said: "They are now saying that they only promised there would be no vehicle access, but that's not what they said at the meeting."

Coun Mary Leaver, who visited the site last week, said: "I wasn't happy at all and my heart really goes out to the residents.

"I'm worried about the litter and the prospect of more cars being driven down the road to get to McDonald's. It was a real mess when I went there."

A spokesman for the council said: "This particular footpath is on the definitive map of public rights of way which was drawn up in 1976 and was in existence for a number of years before the map was drawn and has been kept as an existing right of way."

"It has been improved by developers for users. It does not lead directly to McDonald's which is at the rear of Hector Road and bound by a high fence, but to the general area around the service station.

"A number of residents were concerned that this right of way should be kept to ensure pedestrian access was maintained.

"Residents were assured there would be no vehicle access to the site through Redvers or Hector Road when the plans were approved in July 2000."