A GRAFFITI-busting squad is set to take to the streets of Burnley next month as part of a bid to clean up the town's grot spots.

The new initiative is being launched after Burnley's Community Safety Partnership was given more than £19,000 Home Office cash.

The money has been used to buy a van which will be used by the town's community wardens to respond to calls complaining about graffiti. It will also be used to tackle chewing gum on pavements.

The cash was provided as part of the Government's Small Retailers in Deprived Areas initiative which is providing £15m over three years to schemes across the country.

The graffiti-busting team will take to the streets next month when the van has been fitted with a high pressure hose.

Responding to problems like graffiti more quickly was one of the issues identified by the Task Force report into the June 2001 riots in the town.

Community Safety team leader Melva Burton said: "We have been given just over £19,000 from the Home Office scheme to try to improve the quality of life for people in inner Burnley.

"Originally we considered spending the cash on improving shop security but it was decided that the graffiti-busting project would be a better way to spend the money.

"We were aware that the Task Force report indentified the need to respond to issues like graffiti more quickly and, hopefully, with the van, we should be able to do that.