The council has apologised to a Darwen resident after a ‘snooping’ council worker was spotted taking pictures of her back garden.

Barbara Knowles, 65, said she was alerted to a man peering through into the yard into her home last week.

Following the first incident, she said she ‘stayed up all night’ thinking it was a thief who may be wanting to steal the newly laid flagstones.

Blackburn with Darwen has now apologised for the confusion and upset caused, and said the officer was simply responding to a complaint of fly-tipping in St Alban’s Road. 

The claims of fly-tipping were disputed by Barbara, who said workmen were just re-laying the paving stones and doing some work in the backyard.

Barbara said: “I am not sure why he could not have simply knocked on the front door and asked. I would have been more than helpful.

“It would have been far more considerate. You can’t just be peering into someone’s home and taking pictures like this.

“How do we know [he's from the council], it could be anyone like a pervert or a thief. I was told he came in a van which was not marked as a council one.

“After it happened I stayed up all night thinking they might be coming back to steal the paving stones.”

Then on Friday (April 12), the council worker returned and this time was confronted by a concerned neighbour who hurried down the alleyway to speak to him.

Barbara said: “He then admitted who he was and what he was doing. He said they would give us a week to clear up some of the bricks.

“We are getting some work done so how is that fly-tipping?

"It has been pretty awful weather of late and I have been personally loading up the car and going to the tip with any excess rubbish, but I can only go when it is not raining.

“It really has affected me this. I was just so shocked they could be snooping around like this. 

“I am sure they can be a little more considerate.”

Lancashire Telegraph:

The council said a complaint was received from a concerned resident regarding waste which had been deposited within the back street behind St Albans Road, Darwen.

When the officer attended to investigate the waste, the officer ‘could clearly see that there was similar waste within the back yard, as the back gate is damaged’. 

A Blackburn with Darwen Council spokesperson said: “When the officer returned to the location at a later date, he spoke with the resident as well as the neighbour, fully explaining the issue. 

“We apologise if the officer caused any upset to the resident during the initial visit, this was not the intention. The officer was simply following up on the complaint they had received.

“Any waste should be kept within the boundary of the property until arrangements for its disposal can be made and therefore no waste should be placed within the back street. T

"he officer has allowed the resident time to make arrangements to remove the waste and it was understood that the resident was happy with this.”

The council added ‘residents should be aware that they are unable to dispose of construction waste at the Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) without a permit. 

If they do intend to dispose of the waste at the HWRC, they should apply for a permit from the Construction and DIY waste permit section of the council's website.