THE first lady of Blackpool tourism has been honoured for her outstanding efforts to keep the town tidy.

A cycling litter buster, a wildlife campaigner, a hospice gardener and green-fingered nurses were among other recipients at the annual awards of the Keep Blackpool Tidy group (KBT).

In the commercial section, the premier prize was won by the Hounds Hill shopping centre for its £5 million redevelopment.

Blackpool Mayor Fred Jackson presented the awards at the ceremony at the town hall this week.

Pleasure Beach chairman Doris Thompson was honoured for her outstanding contribution to the aims and objectives of KBT during the 13 years it has been in existence.

KBT awards committee chairman George Frampton said her initiatives had ranged form buying 1,000 litter grabbers for her staff to the renovation of two large seafront shelters.

Other winners included Brian Hargreaves of Belvere Avenue, who has spent 11 years cycling around the resort collecting litter.

Mr Frampton said: "His neighbours are amazed at his conscientious zeal, having seen him collect litter from as far north as Devonshire Road rock gardens and as far south as Clifton Drive."

The premier individual award went to Karl Smith, of Mossbank Place, a voluntary warden at Marton Mere for more than eight years and local organiser of the Blackpool Conservation Volunteers.

Other individual winners were Brian Ward of Links Road, for his maintenance of the gardens at Trinity Hospice, and Sister Linda Ogden and her staff who have transformed waste land outside ward 25 at Victoria Hospital into an attractive garden.

Other commercial winners were the Grand Theatre for the Matcham Court canopy, the new Edwards bar on the Promenade, Bella Pasta restaurant on Victoria Street, and jewellers A and B Christies of Corporation Street.

The ceremony was addressed by KBT chairman Councillor Philip Dunne.

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