AFTER glitches and delays, the first phase of a £2.5million scheme to pedestrianise and regenerate Church Street in Blackburn town centre has been completed.

In February 2001, Yorkshire artist Ian Randall unveiled five sculptures he said symbolized the growth of Blackburn and celebrated its industrial past.

The £240,000 works, funded by European grants, were due to be completed last summer but were held up due to a series of technical .

Yesterday the barriers surrounding the last sculpture to be completed were removed and people were given their first chance to view the completed first phase of a scheme, which is set to breathe new life into the Cathedral quarter.

The leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, Sir Bill Taylor, said: "The council and its partners have great aspirations for Blackburn town centre and the high quality regeneration of this area has enabled us to be recognised nationally as a place that has significantly improved their environment and services for both visitors and shoppers."

Coun Taylor and his town hall team see the work as the first step along the road to the regeneration of the whole town centre, but what do the people who work and live in the town think?

PETER FLETCHER, 62, said: "The statues don't seem to relate to Blackburn. They are all right but I have heard some bad reaction."

STEVEN PRATT, 16, said: "The maps look a bit like Australia but the statues do make Church Street a better place to come."

ASMA QADIR, 20, said: "It's nice here now and the scenery makes you want to come and sit here."

EVELYN LALOYO, 25, said: "There isn't anything I would change and I think the town centre looks a lot better."

CAROL HITCHIN, 33, said: "I think the whole place is lovely It could do with a bit more colour."

MARIAN LEGG said: "I quite like it. The only thing I would add would be some flowers and a plaque ."

KEVIN BLACKHURST, 38, said: "I think they should have kept the traffic and closed the Boulevard off. I am not impressed."

NEIL MCCANN, 74, said: "I think it is brilliant but I'm not sure how the town copes with traffic."

CHRIS ALLEN, 49-, said: "I think the statues are really impressive. They may not be everyone's cup of tea."

SAMANTHA KHAN, 32, said: "It's not that bad but they haven't done it the way I would have done it."

STAFF SGT JULIE MILLYARD said: "I don't come to Blackburn for a night out but I think that someone could trip over some of the bronze pieces on the floor."

LINDA MARTIN, 38, said: "It just looks like a play area for children. There are too many round balls and I can't work the statues out."

STEHPEN RUSHTON, 24, said: "I think the whole thing looks really good. It gives Blackburn a bit of class."

DOUGGIE JOSS, 64, said: "My bicycle looks better than those statues. It probably cost a lot of money that could have been better spent."