A SANKEY Bridges resident has described living near the Arpley landfill site as like a 'third world country'.

Land owners remain 'hopeful' of being granted an extension to continue operations at the tip but residents now face a wait to hear the verdict from the secretary of state.

A decision is set to be made in the next four months but those living nearby, including Tari Roberts, are pleading with officials to close the tip as soon as possible.

"I live close to the land after I moved there in 2012 but is not an easy, or nice, place to live with what is going on," she said.

"My son has asthma, so it does not help with that, but we just want it to end so we can get on with our lives - it is like being in a third world country."

But despite the hopes of FCC, Cllr Steve Parish (LAB - Bewsey and Whitecross) believes the environment organisation has admitted defeat.

However, he insists pressure will remain on FCC to bring an end to the smells and dirt causing inconvenience for residents.

"The time limit that the tip must close by October 31 2017, but the signs are that the tip may close earlier than that deadline," he said.

"Merseyside's waste will still come to Arpley in the meantime - but either the present cell will be filled before then, or Merseyside will have opened their new 'waste recovery' plant on Teeside.

"Just to give some idea of what resident here have had to put up with for so long, Merseyside will be sending two trainloads of waste every day to Teeside.

"We would have course have wanted the tip to close sooner, but without the campaign we might not have won the earlier enquiry, and Arpley could have been open for a very long time - well done to everyone who made the case for closure."

The latest inquiry, which included views from land owners FCC Environment, the council and residents, took place at Orford Jubilee Hub on February 24 and was for a five year extension.

FCC remain adamant that the needs of residents will be taken into account if an extension is granted.

"We are hopeful, following a thorough public enquiry, that we will be granted an extension to continue the operations of Arpley landfill site until October 2017 with the restoration occurring within 12 months thereafter," said Alan Bulpin, FCC's regional planning and permit manager.

"If an extension is granted, we will work in accordance with the new planning conditions to minimise the impact the operations have on residents."