A £260,000 scheme to improve one of Blackburn's main roads started this week.

The council is upgrading King Street, near the town centre, with improved paving and street furniture on the section between Paradise Terrace and Princess Street.

The first phase of work, from Mincing Lane to Freckleton Street, was completed recently. New trees, bins, lamp posts and four pieces of public art have been introduced, as well as paving to help link King Street to the 'Cathedral Quarter', from Fleming Square to Darwen Street and Church Street.

The same theme will continue down King Street towards the Montague Street junction. The work involves lifting pavements and replacing them with York stone flags. Both sides of the street will be paved and new street furniture installed to complete the work started in January to the top of the street.

A public space in front of St Anne's Church will be created to form St Anne's Square. The work has been funded by the North West Development Agency (NWDA), a Government body set up to promote the North West, with a £50,000 contribution from the Local Transport Plan.

The estimated completion date is the first week of December in time for Christmas shopping, and the council said there should be no traffic disruption.