THE health and safety of residents of Drumrallagh Estate are being jeopardised by young people collecting for the Halloween bonfire, Sinn Fein councillor Jarlath McNulty said this week.

Mr McNulty said the storage of bonfire material directly behind homes in Drumrallagh Estate posed a serious fire risk to the residents of the area.

He said, "Residents are deeply concerned at the storage of this large amount of flammable material in close proximity to their homes and want it moved away a safe distance so that it no longer poses a threat.

"There has also been an accumulation of other waste material on other areas of waste ground in the area and there is a further concern that this will attract rats and other vermin if this is allowed to remain.

"It would be preferable if youngsters were moving away from the bonfire culture given the increasing evidence about the short and long term damage it does to the environment but, if not, it is essential to at least attempt to limit this damage.

"So I would appeal to the young people concerned to heed my call to move this material back a safe distance and to refrain from burning tyres.

" I will be monitoring the situation and will also be liaising with the Housing Executive and Council's Environmental Health Department to ensure that the concerns of local people are addressed in the run up to and following Halloween," Mr McNulty warned.

'It would be preferable if youngsters were moving away from the bonfire culture.'