YESTERDAY I made one of my rare visits to the town centre, I walked back along the canal and I was disgusted with the amount of litter in the canal and on embankments.

It makes you wonder what the canal users think about the town. The canal should be a feature, not an eyesore.

Whilst in the town I saw two workmen with specialised cleaning equipment trying to get the chewing gum off the pavement. It took them about five minutes to remove each piece of gum. Therefore with two peoples wages, plus the running costs of the machinery, it must have been costing at least £12 per hour.

So at 12 pieces of gum per hour with with six sticks of gum per packet, it was costing at least 18 times the original cost of the gum to clean it up. Why can't we ban its sale as they did in Singapore many years ago?

I also noted that parts of the pavement in Darwen Street must be some of the dirtiest in the town, yet it is only a few months since it was resurfaced. The amount of grease etc., outside the fast food outlets is disgusting, why can't the owners clean up?

I realise the council is trying its best to smarten up the town, but no matter how much money you spend, if the people won't help in keeping the town clean, why bother?

As for the Pavilions, how soon will it be before the windows get kicked in. Let's face it Blackburn is not a "Bistro" town and never will be so. I noticed that the fountains etc., are now being used as litter bins.

When will anybody be prosecuted for litter? there are plenty of closed circuit TV cameras about to gather the evidence.

Let us put some pride back into the town before it is too late.

B HOPWELL (Mr), Cherry Tree, Blackburn.