DIG out those long-forgotten overdue library books, videos, records and cassettes now.

If you get them back to your library before April 1, you won't have to pay a penny!

Libraries throughout Lancashire are taking part in a one-week fines amnesty.

All fines for overdue books, videos and recorded sound items returned during amnesty week, will be waived.

The move heralds the introduction of a new scale of charges for overdue items which comes into force on April 1. Charges will rise from 7p to 8p a day.

The county council raises £300,000 annually through fines.

Chairman of the library, museum and arts committee County Coun Tom Sharratt, said: "I hope people will take advantage of this one-week amnesty, particularly if they have had items for a long time."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.