A FURIOUS resident has hit out over piles of rubbish being dumped near his home.
Jimmy McNamara has spent months complaining about the alley at the rear of his property being used as a dumping ground for rubbish.
Describing it as a "breeding ground for rats", Mr McNamara, who lives in Derry Street, Barrow, has made numerous complaints to the council over the past few months but has as yet received no response.
He said: "Since February I've been going to the town hall about fly tipping. The bin wagon drives past but just leaves it. It just seems to be ongoing.
"Mattresses are left there, building materials and all sorts. It's disgusting. It's a breeding ground for rats.
"A house about two or three doors down from mine has rubbish right up to the back door.
"If I wanted to sell my house I couldn't because nobody would buy it."
Mr McNamara has been living at the address for 15 years but now has major concerns over his home turf.
He said: "When I moved in it was a nice place but over the last two years it has got worse. I've never seen it this bad before."
The state of the alley is starting to make a significant impact on the daily lives of its residents.
He said: "I have grandchildren and I don't want them playing out there because of it and one of my neighbours plays football with his grandchildren out there but he has had to stop that now."
Mr McNamara is angry about the lack of response he has received from the council, despite making regular trips to complain.
He said: "I've been going about every two weeks since February and others have been going as well.
"I want it removed. It's annoying that I have to keep going back but nothing gets done."
Barrow Borough Council's Street Scene initiative is designed to keep the town's streets clean and tidy and to put a stop to fly tipping as soon as it possibly can.
A spokesman for the initiative said that no complaints regarding a fly tip have been made about Derry Street but a special collection has been requested there over the past few days.
Mr McNamara confirmed that some of the rubbish has disappeared but some items, including a discarded fridge, still remain in the alley.
A spokesman for Street Scene said that any fly tipping was taken extremely seriously by the council. He said: "Any fly tips that are reported are removed within 24 hours - that's a guarantee - and every fly tip gets investigated if there's the evidence to do so."
Read more about Barrow's fly tipping problem:
Fly-tippers leave Cumbria taxpayers with £200,000 bill
Barrow council hits out over fly-tipping
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