Wigan Council removed the rotting pile of household waste after the Evening Post highlighted the plight of residents living in one Platt Bridge street.

Over time fly-tippers had dumped 60 black bin bags full of household rubbish – including dozens of soiled nappies – on land behind their homes in Stanley Road.

Residents claimed the festering mess was attracting rats.
And they believed the culprit was someone who lives locally and is just too lazy to put their household rubbish out in their wheelie bin for collection.

Paul Martin, a 52-year-old retired policeman, told the Evening Post he had been unable to sell his home because of the constant fly-tipping on land at the back of his property.

He claimed the problem started two years ago, but said the council had failed to act despite him making numerous calls to its environmental services team to complain about the fly-tipping.

But after the Evening Post contacted the Metro, two members of its fly-tipping team went down to assess the situation and within days the rubbish was cleaned-up.

A council spokesman said: "It was a horrible eyesore and we had a duty make sure it was cleaned up to residents' satisfaction.
"We're glad this has been sorted and hopefully the problem won't re-occur."

Mr Martin said: "I have lived here for six years and it has never been so clean. All the residents are made up."

To report fly-tipping anywhere in the borough contact the council's fly-tipping team on 01942 404364.