AN environmental festival which aims to improve awareness for the benefit of the area has been hailed a huge success.

The annual Greenweek Festival, first held in 1991, is organised by Blackburn with Darwen Council and is dedicated to promoting many green issues. Sponsored this year by Sappi, based in Feniscowles, Blackburn, the May festival involved all sections of the community in many areas of the borough.

The ongoing event has a budget provided by the council and community events officer Steve Lee said the project strived to achieve a continual improvement of the environment in Blackburn and Darwen.

"We are delighted to see that Greenweek has grown each year as more and more people realise that they do have the power to do something to improve the local environment," added Steve, who is based at Witton Park Visitor Centre.

If you have a project that you think is worth celebrating we want to hear about it or if you know someone who is doing good work for the environment and would like to nominate them for Grimebuster or Junior Grimebuster of the Year then let us know. For more information contact Lynn Schofield on 01254 678678 ext 244 or fax on 01254 680429, or e-mail grimewatch@lancashire.newsquest.co.uk Alternatively write to us at Grimewatch, Lancashire Evening Telegraph, Newspaper House, High Street, Blackburn. BB1 1HT.

Picture: Anna Lewis (front right), environmental officer for Sappi with, from the left, countryside service manager Nick Wyatt, community events officer Steve Lee, assistant warden Ruth Jones and senior warden Peter Coultherd.