VISITORS to Blackburn are being welcomed to the town by weeds and beer cans, next to broken steps and rundown benches.

A black planter in Eanam, near the junction with Cicely Lane, is painted with a two-foot-high Welcome to Blackburn sign, topped with weeds growing over the edges.

Next to the tub, pedestrians must pick their way down overgrown and broken steps.

Anti-litter campaigners have pledged to raise the issue with Blackburn with Darwen Council.

The man in charge of keeping the town centre tidy today said plants had been stolen from the area but work was about to be done to clean up the site.

Jean Wilson, 63, of Haslingden Road, walks down the steps and past the planter on fortnightly visits to her doctor's surgery.

She said: "This part of town looks terrible. It's just a mess and the steps are dangerous and its getting worse.

"It's not a very good way to welcome people to the town. You would think we pay enough council tax to keep things in a better state than this.

"Nobody wants to be in a place like this."

Anti-litter campaigners from the Keep Britain Tidy group were meeting with the council and planned to raise the issue.

A spokesman said: "Our officers will be bringing this up with the council. Obviously it isn't a good advert for the town.

"It's the first impression people get and if they are coming to the town for the first time it's going to put them off.

"Litter and squalid streets can put visitors off and may even put businesses off locating there.

"It gives the false impression that the people of Blackburn don't care about their town."

The piece of land opposite Thwaites brewery was once the pride and joy of Blackburn's shoe king Tommy Ball.

When the entrepreneur first saw the Soho Foundry, the site and the land around it were badly in need of attention.

Mr Ball ploughed thousands of pounds into creating an attractively landscaped garden area with trees and shrubs and traditional style ornate lamp posts.

Coun Mohammed Khan, executive member housing and neighbourhoods, said: "There are two planters on the lane.

"One has had some of the plants stolen from it and the other all of them.

"We are currently awaiting delivery of new plants which will improve the look of them."