Fed-up families living around Cumberland Avenue say their neighbourhood is being blighted by mountains of refuse being dumped by litterbugs and vandals.

The neighbourhood bor ders Leyland's flagship Worden Park but residents say their streets are a world away from the Green Flag-rated recreation area.

Instead residents say their streets are left covered in dog mess, takeaway boxes and other rubbish.

John Lakeman regularly walks his dog through the neighbourhood, which is part of the Wade Hall estate, on his way to Worden Park.

He said: "It's a health hazard, particularly for all the children of the neighbourhood. There's regularly broken glass on the path, takeaway containers, food strewn all over the place. It's disgusting."

The rubbish is dumped over a fence off nearby Suffolk Close on land that is part of Worden Park.

One Suffolk Close resident, whose home faces the fence, said: "You hear people pulling up in cars in the middle of the night to dump their rubbish.Whole bin liners full of rubbish get dumped over. It's horrible.

"Then because it looks such a mess, everyone else can't be bothered so they chuck all their rubbish on the floor too.The kids don't think twice about dumping their crisps wrappers and stuff. It's a disgrace."

Coun Jim Hothersall, cabinet member with responsibility for streetscene services, said: "The Leyland Guardian reported some fly-tipping on the outskirts of Worden Park to the council on Thursday.

"One of our environmental hit squads was dispatched to the area, where they removed bags of garden waste and some other rubbish fromthe site.

"We will not tolerate people fly-tipping."