POLICE community support officers will join residents this weekend to make a clean sweep of things in the Rosehill and Briercliffe areas of Burnley.

Residents will meet PCSO Cathy Clough for a litterpick on Saturday in Rosehill and on the following Saturday, June 28, they will be joining PCSO Dave Johnson for a community clean-up in Briercliffe.

The two events are not only aimed at ensuring the local area is grime free - but more crime free too.

Free skips have been provided by Burnley Borough Council for the two events with the clean-up in Briercliffe also securing support from local schoolchildren and the Parish Council.

PCSO Johnson said: "The clean-up in Briercliffe will be a real community effort with everyone being encouraged to play their part - not only by assisting with the litterpick, but also by ensuring the area remains clean and tidy once we've finished."

PCSO Clough added: "Keeping communities clean is very important since areas which are grime free are more likely to be crime free too.

"That's because there is nothing left lying about which could be used to damage cars or dwellings and generally because the tidier communities are, the more pride people have in them.

"The more pride people have in their community, the less likely they are to do something to harm it."

Both officers have already secured a number of volunteers to assist with their litter picks, but say more helpers would be welcome.