NEIGHBOURHOOD wardens in Hyndburn have more than proved their worth over the past couple of years.

Working in the district's most deprived areas, they regularly patrol trouble spots handing out on-the-spot fines.

They deal with things like vandalism, reporting rubbish and abandoned cars - the sort of issues which cause a huge amount of irritation and nuisance to those trying to lead civilised lives in so many areas or our towns.

The very presence of these wardens on the ground also has a deterrent effect on young hooligans who will think twice if there is a real risk of getting caught.

But because of a big cut next year in Government cash for the district's dozen wardens, and no central funding at all from 2006, Hyndburn's team are threatened with the axe.

District councillors were hoping to scrap together money from the fire authority and county council to keep some wardens on the streets.

But yesterday they heard that not enough money had been found.

The only hope now might be a suggestion from the Labour group that the three types of report-back meetings held with local residents could be merged into one to save cash.

Party politics should be forgotten to investigate this idea because the wardens really have to be saved.