HUNCOAT has been named and shamed as one of the top 10 magnets for fly-tippers in the North West.
The Environment Agency highlighted the King's Highway, underneath the Easterly by-pass, as the region's fourth worst dumping ground.
Other grotspots in the list of shame include sites in Barrow, Bury, Wigan and Preston.
It follows a report in the Observer featuring mum Tracey Green, who called out the fire brigade to tackle a huge rubbish blaze on land near her home at Miry Farm.
She said this week: "I welcome this list because hopefully it will stop people from going there in the future. We had someone burn a car out last weekend, but it has now been removed."
"There have been problems for ages with people parking their cars and then leaving their rubbish. It has been making our lives a nightmare; at least now something is being done."
The agency has launched a campaign and warns offenders they face a hefty fine of up to £20,000.
Councillor Dave Parkins, ward councillor for Huncoat, said: "I got involved in this situation about two years ago and I now go up there quite regularly. I have spoken to the local residents and it is making their lives hell."
"It is a no-win situation. I am pleased the Environment Agency is sinking its teeth into the problem and trying for the people of Huncoat.''
Fly-tipping costs councils, the agency and private land-owners around £2M each year. But Councillor Parkins feels magistrates should adopt a get-tough approach to offenders. He said: "We need some stronger legislation and not just take them to court and smack their hand. They need to make examples of. these people."
Hyndburn MP Greg Pope said fines were a deterrent, adding: "People do this secretly and they go out of their way to fly-tip, so trying to get a case against them is difficult unless you catch them doing it."
"I am very grateful to the Environment Agency for highlighting this problem and full credit to local councillors Brendan Shiel and Dave Parkins because they have represented the people of Huncoat on this. I do not have a magic wand and the answer to this, but people need to be more responsible for their waste, now that we have got better at recycling in the borough."
If you want to report a fly-tipping incident, call the agency on 0800 807060.
