EXCLUSIVE We live in the shadow of a crime ridden fly-tipped mountain of rubbish... every day is a nightmare

Neighbours living next to mountains of rubbish say every day is a ‘nightmare’ with constant noise and crime.

Shocked police officers discovered the huge piles of waste at the back of an old cotton mill in Radcliffe, Greater Manchester after chasing a suspect.

Neighbours said the area is also a fly-tipping magnet but nothing compares to the mountains of rubbish at the back.

Mother-of-two Sandra Holmes, 43, said: ‘It’s a real eyesore when you see so much rubbish and the police seem to be here all the time.

‘The rubbish isn’t nice to look like but it doesn’t really smell.

‘However there’s also noise coming from there with cranes moving the rubbish and lorries coming and going all the time.

‘It’s a nightmare neighbour.’

Neighbours of a huge mountains of rubbish said the site is a ‘nightmare’ with constant noise, fires and is a crime hotspot

Shocked police officers found the huge piles of rubbish at the back of an old cotton mill after chasing a suspect when they found cannabis plants at the building

Nearby wholesaler Martin Dean (pictured) said: ‘Legitimate businesses like mine here are getting a bad reputation

Another neighbour, who did not want to give her name, said: ‘There’s always seem to be fires burning rubbish when you look.

‘And the noise is terrible – it’s not great seeing what when you look out of your back garden.’

As well as the trash mountain, officers also stumbled on 650 cannabis plants in a building on the site.

Bigger cannabis farms have also been uncovered at Pioneer Mill and a man was also shot dead in one of the units.

Wholesaler Martin Dean’s business has been in the mill since 1989.

The 51-year-old said: ‘It was horrendous when they found the cannabis plants here but it’s not the first time.

‘Legitimate businesses like mine here are getting a bad reputation just from a few bad apples.

‘The rent is cheap but you get a lot of fly-tipping her too.

‘People drive down and then just dump dirty mattresses and all sorts of things.

‘We’ve had fires and floods from the nearby River Irwell as well.

Neighbours said the area is also a fly-tipping magnet but nothing compares to the mountains of rubbish at the back

The mountains of rubbish belongs to a recycling business called Radcliffe Polymers

More than 650 cannabis plants were found in the building after police stormed the old cotton mill

‘But we’ve got very little help.’

The mountains of rubbish belongs to a recycling business called Radcliffe Polymers.

Norman Khalid, who works for it, said: ‘We are clearing it away.

‘There is too much but we have only just taken it over.

‘There is no smell and it is not dangerous. It is just clean plastics.

‘You need to speak to the boss.’

However the ‘boss’ did not respond to MailOnline’s call or text when we tried to contact him.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) raised serious concerns about the environment at the mill after chasing the cannabis farm suspect.

A spokesperson said: We found this after chasing a suspect over the land which raises serious concerns for the environment after what we came across.

Bigger cannabis farms have also been uncovered at Pioneer Mill in Radcliffe, Greater Manchester, and a man was also shot dead in one of the units

At a council meeting cabinet member Sandra Walmsley said: Due to the complexity of the site at Pioneer Mill there are various enforcement responsibilities beyond the control of the council

A neighbour, who did not want to give her name, said: ‘There’s always seem to be fires burning rubbish when you look

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) raised serious concerns about the environment at the mill after chasing the cannabis farm suspect

Mother-of-two Sandra Holmes, 43, said: ‘It’s a real eyesore when you see so much rubbish and the police seem to be here all the time

Bury council said a multi-agency group has been put together to tackle the rubbish.

The group will bring together GMP, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, public protection, planning, building control, Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and the Environment Agency (EA).

At a council meeting cabinet member Sandra Walmsley said: Due to the complexity of the site at Pioneer Mill there are various enforcement responsibilities beyond the control of the council.

Each enforcement agency have their own statutory and discretionary powers and responsibilities.

This approach is enabling the council work with partners to coordinate site assessment and compliance.

In 2023, an even larger farm was discovered at the same mill.

Pioneer Mill was built in the early 20th century and is believed to have been the last mill in Radcliffe to weave cotton.

The building was hit by a large fire in May 2022.

Bury council said a multi-agency group has been put together to tackle the rubbish

The group will bring together GMP, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, public protection, planning, building control, Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and the Environment Agency (EA)

Ex-soldier Graham Redford blasted alleged drug dealer Stacey Lloyd in the head with a powerful shotgun at a business unit he owned at the mill in 2005

Redford was jailed for 30 years for the murder but still claims he is innocent and has appealed

And ex-soldier Graham Redford blasted alleged drug dealer Stacey Lloyd in the head with a powerful shotgun at a business unit he owned at the mill in 2005.

Redford meticulously cleaned the unit, even concreting over areas to ensure no blood could be found.

He then dumped his body in a car boot and set it on fire. Redford was jailed for 30 years for the murder.

However Redford still claims he is innocent of the gangland murder and has appealed.