A refrigeration firm in Idle has pledged to take action after residents complained of lorries blocking narrow roads near its site.

David Robertshaw, who lives near the George Barker premises in Highfield Road, said he believed there had been three incidents involving lorries getting stuck on nearby roads in recent weeks, but operations director at the firm Tony Callaghan said he had been made aware of only one incident, where a lorry caused damage to a pavement.

It is not believed any of the lorries involved were owned by the firm.

Mr Robertshaw said: “When the very big trucks come out and turn from the exit they have to block the entire road.

“It could be dangerous if emergency vehicles cannot get in and out. It’s a residential area and shouldn’t have trucks of that size coming through it.”

Ward councillor Alun Griffiths (Lib Dem, Idle and Thackley) said a number of residents had raised the issue with him.

He said: “When they expanded a few years ago we said at the time there would be problems.

“Wagons are supposed to enter to one part of the site and exit through others but for various reasons they are going to the wrong entrance, getting stuck on narrow roads.

“George Barker is an important source of employment in Idle and it is important it continues to function but we want them to get on well with their neighbours.

“We’ve contacted the Highways department about repairs to damage that has been done and asked if there can be better signage.”

Tony Callaghan, operations director at George Barker, said he would listen to residents’ concerns but he had seen no evidence of an ongoing problem.

He said: “It must have been a driver that had not been here before, so thought the exit was the way in. The issue is it lifted some of the paving stones. I sent maintenance out to check that out. We needed to put that right.”

He also said he would look at putting up a “no right turn” sign at the exit to guide vehicles toward more main roads.

“We’ll give serious consideration to improving signage,” he said. “Anything that helps solve the problem we are happy to do.”