A couple claim they are “living a nightmare” near a waste site which they claim is illegally operating early in the morning and late at night.

Christine and Alan Longworth bought their cottage just off Manchester Road, Westhoughton, in 1996 as a peaceful retirement home, but they say their lives have been turned upside down recently by the noise, odour and dust emanating from a nearby waste site.

Trucks driving past their home near the Chequerbent roundabout are keeping them awake until the early hours.

Bolton Council has confirmed that the site — operated by Stamford’s — is licensed only between 7.30am to 6pm on weekdays.

Stamford’s will be receiving an enforcement notice and have been threatened with prosecution should it continue to flout the rules.

Mrs Longworth, aged 67, said: “This has been going on for nearly four months — they are working all hours and we are not sleeping.

“The dust gets absolutely everywhere — everything is filthy.

“Sometimes as many as six or seven trucks have gone past by six in the morning.”

Dust being disturbed on the lane outside their house is being thrown onto their garden and house, meaning they are forced to keep the windows shut.

Mr Longworth, aged 69, said: “It is fine dust that we are all breathing in — it is a health hazard.”

The site, which the Longworths describe as a “small scrapyard with a cobbled path” when the bought the house, was formerly owned by J Doyle Ltd.

A council spokesman said: “We have received a number of complaints from residents that the company are operating outside of the hours agreed in the planning consent, and we have asked them repeatedly to abide by the permitted times.

“We will now be serving the company with an enforcement notice requiring them to abide by the planning permission. If they don’t do this, then we will take further legal action, which could include prosecution.”

No work can take place on the site on Sundays and bank holidays, and it is licensed only from 7.30am to 1pm on Saturdays.

A Environment Agency spokesman said: “The Environment Agency regulates permitted waste sites and we regularly inspect the facility to ensure they are operating within agreed limits.

“We are concerned about local reports of excess noise and dust so are working closely with residents, the company that operates the site and the local council to see what can be done to reduce the impact to residents.”

The site is permitted to receive household, commercial and industrial waste and also has a metal recycling permit.

Stamford’s did not respond to repeated requests for a comment.