AN 82-YEAR-OLD woman from Barrow has been accused of fly-tipping after leaving her armchair on the back street for council collection.

Pat Burns, of North Street, has said she arranged to get her armchair removed with Barrow Borough Council for the fee of £10 so had her son put the armchair out on the back street to be picked up.

However, upon telling the council this is where she left it for collection, she was told that this was classed as fly-tipping, which is illegal, and needed to be moved into her yard.

"I was informed that the armchair should be left in my back yard and that it should be broken up," she said.

"But I am 82 with arthritis and can't move it myself unfortunately and when I told them that they suggested getting a friend or neighbour to help me.

"My neighbour is also elderly and there is obviously the Covid risk.

"I have been told that this has happened before in the area.

"I just can't understand why they would say I should ask someone else with Covid going on.

"I thought this would be quite straightforward really.

"I imagine people who are old like me being told this information (being a fly-tipper) would find it very alarming.

"I was gobsmacked to be honest."

The Mail: ISSUE: 82-year-old Pat BurnsISSUE: 82-year-old Pat Burns

When questioned the council said they could not find a log of Mrs Burns' call to them or any request for an armchair to be collected.

Councillor Ann Thomson, leader of Barrow Borough Council and lead member for cleaner and greener communities, said: "It has always been the case that items booked in for the large item collection service need to be left in a yard or garden and not on the street.

"This is to discourage additional fly-tipping in the immediate vicinity and also to prevent the spread of vermin.

"Making all areas of Barrow a nice place to live and work and enhancing the pride we have in our neighbourhoods is a priority and we are working hard to clear a number of areas as part of an ongoing project."