THE bright yellow jackets of Bury's community safety wardens will no longer be seen come the end of March.

Department bosses are closing the scheme to save £125,000 and help balance the overall council budget.

They are now looking at a replacement, and talk about creating a more streamlined service which will encompass car parking attendants, environmental teams and those who issue fines for litter and dog fouling offences.

The move follows the axing of street and neighbourhood wardens in Whitefield and East Bury because Government funding has run dry.

Mr Philip Allen, director of development and environmental services, said the aim was to keep people patrolling the streets as the "eyes and ears" of the council. He said there were now Police Community Support Officers on the beat, and the council had boosted its street cleansing teams. Talks were taking place with the police and with NCP on an integrated service.

"We're looking at what is best and trying to get a more streamlined approach to all warden services," he said.

"We've had eight safety wardens this year, when at one time we had 16. It's the next stage. We've been thinking about this for the last 12 months, and the budget brought it to a head."