FOUR years ago legal aid for compensation claims was abolished to try to control the huge escalation in bills being faced by local councils.

But solicitors working on the basis of 'no win - no fee' have ensured that the situation has continued to get out of control.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has found itself actually spending more on insurance than on repairing roads and even now the highways maintenance budget is only £1.8million compared with £1.4million set aside for claims payment.

And Lancashire County Council's annual liability bill last year topped £6million.

As well as the comparatively trivial nature of so many of these time-consuming claims by people who allege they have tripped over broken pavements, there is also the strong suspicion that many of them are either basically false or grossly exaggerated.

And dealing with them costs council officers a lot of time as well as money.

Now the councils are introducing measures to enable them to fine people for making false claims in the hope that this will deter them from setting off on the compensation trail in the first place.

It has to work. These cheats have to realise that they are taking money raised in taxes from all of us and services will inevitably suffer because of their greed.