BUDDING David Baileys in Darwen have turned the town's grot spots into high art thanks to a photographic competition.

Youngsters from Moorland, St Barnabas and Sudell schools were invited to submit pictures for the 14th Annual Photographic Exhibition of Darwen Civic Society on the theme of grot spots.

The competition was hot on the heels of another organised by Blackburn with Darwen Council, the police and fire brigade, in which youngsters were despatched with disposable cameras to photograph dangerous rubbish.

Two photos included a dumped propane gas canister and a settee, identified as potential serious fire hazards.

The competition, which focused on areas described by the authorities as "war zones", led to a clean-up operation by the council's operations department.

The latest exhibition attracted 120 entries from children and adults throughout the town who ferreted out the grot spots and took pictures.

Organiser the Rev Geoff Tolley, photographic organiser of the Civic Society, said the number and standard of entries was very high.

"The point of the competition wasn't to expose Darwen as a grotty place, because there are some beautiful spots in the town, but to test the photographic skills of entrants.

"We received photographs from all over Darwen and obviously entrants were inspired by our theme of local eyesores."

The winning photographs will be displayed at Darwen Library until October 10 and the theme of next year's competition will be the town's beauty spots.

The winners were: Adults - Alan Holden, Maureen Holden, Roy Davies. Moorland - Scott Rigby, Lauren Read, Micheal Tierney. St Barnabas - Daniel Worth, Dawn Chambers, Declan Shackleton. Project - 1, 2 and 3 Sudell School.