FRUSTRATED Kidderminster residents have lashed out at a company which is stacking pallets up to 30ft high near their homes.

Kevan Ashmore, of Shelley Road, is one of scores of residents up in arms about the number of pallets being stored at nearby Clensmore Business Park.

He said the number had more than doubled in recent weeks and the firm, PRS Ltd, was now stacking pallets around 60 high, which was having a detrimental impact on the street scene.

The company is moving from Wilden Lane in Stourport but Mr Ashmore was concerned it did not have planning permission and was stacking them on land that should be used as a car park.

An application had been submitted by PRS to store materials at the site but the application was withdrawn last September.

Mr Ashmore, who was keen to see enforcement action, said he was willing to set up a petition.

He added: "The pallets seemed to appear overnight, at the beginning of December. Since then, things have escalated and now there are mountains of pallets near our homes, stacked 60 pallets high.

"It's had a terrible impact on our horizon and the noise is horrendous.

"The work starts early in the morning and residents are woken at 7am by the revving of forklift trucks and workers slamming the pallets down on the ground. It's just terrible."

Mr Ashmore said someone from Wyre Forest District Council's environmental health department visited his home in December to assess the noise levels.

They were satisfied the level was acceptable but since then, Mr Ashmore said, the noise had intensified.

He added: "It's simply got to an unacceptable stage now and I can't believe it has been allowed to get this far. We've asked for the council to take enforcement action but things are being dragged out. I think they have got to take us seriously now."

Ward councillor, Robert Wheway, who feared the pallets could pose a health and safety risk, said PRS