The right to protest was alive and well in 1979, as Accrington resident, Stan Stevenson, led a petition demanding the council take action over dangerous pavements and parked vehicles outside their homes in Leyland Street.

Mr Stevenson said the street was just too busy as they were plagued by bad parking and reversing lorries.

The 32-year-old said: "There are 14 children in this street, there of them my own and we are afraid for their safety.

"When there are cars parked on both sides there isn't room for vehicles to get through, but some have been parking on the pavement making it sink and break up."

Mr Stevenson had complained to the police, and Councillor Jack Grime passed the residents' protest petition to Hyndburn Town Clerk, Nigel Macgregor.

Cllr Grime said: "I feel they have a valid complaint worthy of investigation."