A WEEK long grot spot blitz in Great Harwood could be emulated across Hyndburn if it is successful, the borough council said today.

Hyndburn's new mayor Coun Win Frankland said the spring clean, which involves residents taking an active part in cleaning their town, is being used as a pilot for the rest of Hyndburn.

She said the event, organised by town groups and police, not only aimed to improve the look of the town but also civic pride and community spirit.

The event accompanies the launch of another new scheme with area council meetings asking people to highlight untidy streets.

The two schemes in Hyndburn follow the recent launch of a £1million rubbish blitz by Blackburn with Darwen Council, which also wants people to name untidy streets, but will fine people who fly-tip or drop litter.

Great Harwood's scheme was organised by the town's Community Action Group, PROSPECTS, Civic Society, Business Forum, the Rotary Club, Churches Together, youth groups and the police. It will run until next Sunday and involve hundreds of people working in teams to clean up the whole town.

Alan Whalley, one of the Rotarian organisers, said the event ran on the back of a children's logo competition.

"The winner came up with 'Don't drop it put it in your pocket!' and this message will be put on orange sticker badges to be worn by people.

"We are doing this to tackle the grot spots in the town, to increase community spirit and put the great back into Great Harwood.

"I've been talking to the council's cleansing department to get their support they said they saw it as a good pilot scheme for the rest of Hyndburn."

Coun Frankland said: "This is a brilliant idea because not only will it clean up the area but it means people will take more pride in their town.

"It was discussed at last week's area council meeting and it will be carried on throughout the borough. It's part of a new regime looking to get people to mark out particular grot spots."

Area council coordinator Graham Pinfield said: "We will be going around the area council meetings with maps asking people to highlight untidy streets, overflowing litter bins, fly tipping and refuse bags left out when not due for collection.

"We will put all this information on to the muck maps and feed into our geographical information computer system, and then use it to target our services to the worst affected areas."