ANGRY residents are demanding a public meeting with the owners of a scrapyard.

Campaigning homeowners in the Victory estate area of Bolton claim constant noise and vibration coming from the yard off Gaskell Street has been ruining their lives for the last 18 months.

They also say piles of scrap metal towering over the yard's fences are a blot on their landscape. Today -- backed by Halliwell councillor Cliff Morris -- they called for owners Hamilton Hargreaves Ltd to discuss their concerns at face to face meetings. Mill Croft resident Lawrence Bell's garden backs onto the yard. He said: "We want some action. People are being kept awake by the dreadful noise and levels of vibration coming from the yard. It goes on six days a week from the early hours of the morning to late at night.

Michaela Barlow added: "It is unbelievable. We have got noise and vibration coming from the huge metal crane they use. It looks like a tip. All we can see from our windows is piles of metal." Residents also claim the scrap cars are regularly targeted by arsonists.

A spokesman for J. Doyle Limited, at the Gaskell Street Works, a part of the Hargreaves Hamilton Group said: "We are complying with all directives issued by the Environment Department and are working very closely with them to address and resolve the issues." A Bolton Council spokesman said: "An application has gone to the traffic commissioners to operate one additional vehicle at the site."