THE number of community clean up events sponsored by Blackburn with Darwen Council has increased but number of volunteers taking part has fallen, according to new figures.

Environment boss Cllr Jim Smith has revealed the statistics in a report to fellow councillors.

He said the number community clean up under the authority’s ‘Your Call’ campaign in the year 2016/17 had gone up to 126 from 113 in the previous 12 months

Cllr Smith said 2,457 volunteers had taken part, of whom 1,334 had not attended previously.

Cllr Smith said in 2015/16, 2,898 volunteers took part of whom 1,596 had not attended a ‘Your Call’ clean-up event previously.

The ‘Your Call’ campaign and clean up events were set up by the council as a response to the major budget cuts and government funding reductions and an attempt to increase community involvement.