DARWEN'S "freedom fighter" claims his meeting with council members to discuss the town's future was "all talk and no action".

Roy Davies, 55, of Olive Lane, met Blackburn with Darwen bosses to encourage urgent investment in Darwen. A 500-name petition demanding 'independence' from Blackburn spurred the meeting with Graham Burgess, director of regeneration, Adrian Swift, principal planner and Paul Isherwood, town centre chief.

Mr Davies said Darwen was deteriorating because council money was being focused on Blackburn instead of investing in Darwen. But after the meeting, he complained his concerns fell on deaf ears.

He said: "They went through their initiatives for next spring which include three workshops to try to get the voice of the people in Darwen and to tell the council what we want. They say things are going to be looking up for Darwen next year and will build a regeneration plan around what the people want.

"But talk is cheap and they haven't told us anything we don't know already. We were supposed to be having meetings this year but now they have gone off until next year. There are no suggestions on how to move forward unless we turn around and accept everything the council say."

Mr Davies said Darweners, frustrated by council decisions, were willing to 'go it alone' to preserve their own identity.

Mr Burgess said: "We regarded the meeting as a positive step towards informing Mr Davies and others about plans for the future of Darwen.

"At the meeting we outlined the timescales and ways in which he could be involved, giving details of the investments in Darwen made by Blackburn with Darwen Council over the past few years.

"We also showed how Darwen was faring well compared to towns of similar sizes in the North West."