A COUNCILLOR today slammed United Utilities for refusing to put up barriers in a bid to prevent its secluded car parks being used for night-time sex.

The move was rejected at a multi-agency meeting, where councillors, countryside rangers and countryside users met to discuss the problem of 'dogging' and 'cottaging' at local beauty spots.

Chairman of the Recreation Management Zone meeting, councillor for North Turton and Tockholes, Jean Rigby, urged United Utilities to look at ways of stopping the practice at sites that they owned.

After ther meeting, at the Jumbles Reservoir Sailing Club, near Darwen, she said she hoped that closing one of the Entwistle Reservoir car parks while remedial work on the reservoir took place might deter 'doggers' from meeting there.

The Evening Telegraph revealed yesterday how sites across East Lancashire were being used for cottaging -- where gay men meet up for sex -- and dogging, where couples and single people meet strangers for sex.

The spread of the problem, which has prompted police to clampdown and vow to prosecute people for outraging public decency, has turned families and walkers away from the areas.

Coun Rigby said: "At the moment United Utilities are not looking to put barriers up so the only possible solution is to keep working with our rural police officer.

"There is some proposed work scheduled on the reservoir and contractors will use one of the car parks to store their equipment. Maybe this will make a difference.

"United Utilities are not being proactive at present, just reactive and this is only one of many issues that concerns them."

A spokesperson for United Utilities defended their decision saying that it had been made in the interest of the majority not the minority.

She said: "We are responsible landowners and will continue to work with the relevant agencies and residents to address this problem, but we must think about providing access for those who use the countryside responsibly rather than stopping access for the few who don't."

Since the Lancashire Evening Telegraph highlighted the problem yesterday, Coun Rigby has been approached by Blackburn security firm D and E Security who offered to help patrol car parks.

Hugh Doherty, from the Eanam Wharf security firm, said: "We both have a big family and want to be able to take our children out and about into the countryside for picnics and walks without seeing this sordid behaviour.

"I don't know whether the council would use a private security firm but we are willing to work to stop these activities from spoiling our countryside."