A THURROCK councillor says he is taking up residents' concerns about a fire that has been burning continuously on a site near their homes.

The residents live close to the former Fire Brigades club on Purfleet Road in Aveley. The club has been closed for several years and is now home to a number of small businesses, while horses graze what were once its sports fields.

In recent weeks a number of fires have been seen on the site, with one now burning continuously, fed – residents believe – by substances being brought to the site by trucks.

Residents contacted Nub News after drawing a blank trying to get Thurrock Council to investigate, with their spokesperson saying: "I've reported this to Thurrock Council and the environmental agency and called the fire brigade twice, and still the fire is burning.

"This has been going on for weeks and weeks and nothing is being done, I'm not sure what's they are burning but there is a rubbish truck and a grey skip lorry going back and forth to the site all day long, but it's definitely not wood.

"We cannot go in the garden because of the stink, also the smoke runs across the old A13 and is dangerous."

Aveley and Uplands ward councillor Colin Churchman was quick to respond to Nub News last night when we brought this to his attention and he says: "I can confirm that as soon as I received notification last night regarding the lighting of fires on this site, I reported this to the council enforcement and environmental teams. I await their response."

The council has not responded to concerns raised by Nub News. This evening (Wednesday, 22 December) another ward councillor, David van Day contacted Nub News to say: "I have checked my records and I have received no emails from residents regarding these issues etc, but of course I am pleased to see Colin is dealing with these matters."