RESIDENTS in Blackrod are fuming after a building site which operates through the night was opened just yards from their homes.

The site, in Junction Close, is used by workers who are rebuilding the nearby Station Road bridge as part of the electrification of the railway.

Work is being carried out by the construction firm Carillion on behalf of Network Rail and is scheduled to be completed in July next year.

Those living on the street say they can hear work being carried out on the site well into the early hours of the morning, particularly during weekends, which they say is an infringement of their privacy.

Network Rail said it chose the site as it was the only place suitable to complete the work and much of the work can only be completed overnight.

Junction Close is a small cul-de-sac containing 11 houses and 15 children live on the street.

Natalie Stanley, a Junction Close resident, says she has frequently been woken up through the night and that work has been carried out right underneath her window. Mrs Stanley, a mother-of-one, aged 26, said: “How can a building site be allowed so close to our homes and work outside at night? It’s just embarrassing and horrific — it’s so inconsiderate and it’s not fair on any of us.

“I’ve got a boy aged four and he comes into my room during the night saying ‘Mummy, what’s that noise?’

“There are generators on during the night and I even heard a cement mixer being switched on at 2.45am on a Saturday.”

Chris Rowbotham, a fellow Junction Close resident, aged 40, says he first complained about the building site back in August.

He said: “These last few months have been absolutely horrendous.

“We don’t feel like we’re getting any assistance. I’ve challenged Network Rail about it, but it took them two and a half months to respond to my complaint.

“If I were to try and sell my house now, I would lose a fortune. Living here has been a nightmare.”

A council spokesman said: “We can confirm that we investigated a complaint regarding this site in August and the situation had improved. We are currently liaising with the contractor to review the current situation.”

A Network Rail spokesman said: “The compound near Blackrod station is needed while we rebuild the nearby Station Road bridge as part of the electrification of the railway in the area. The location was the only place suitable to complete the work and we have done all we can to keep noise and disruption to a minimum. Much of the work can only be completed overnight while trains are not running and we have updated residents, the Environment Agency and the local authority as work has progressed. The work is due to completed in July 2015 but there will be less overnight noise as the scheme progresses. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”