WORKMEN are back in Blackburn's Church Street to replace trees - after others planted eight months ago died.

Today, councillors pledged to find out what had killed them and to ensure the replacements survive.

Workmen had to dig up concrete slabs to remove the trees, which were planted earlier this year as the £2.5million pedestrianisation of the street was completed.

Four dead trees were spotted when council officers carried out an inspection of Church Street last month.

Specialist staff were brought in from the firm which supplied them to try and find out what had happened.

Steve Hoyle, the council's assistant director of regeneration, housing and neighbourhoods said: "This is standard procedure for landscaping schemes whereby the contractor replaces any specimens which have failed to prosper at no cost to the council."

Conservative councillor Paul McGurty said: "I have asked about what happened and they aren't sure yet but I will be pushing to make sure that the same thing doesn't happen again."