RIBBLE Valley MP Nigel Evans has called for people who spit chewing gum in the street to be slapped with on-the-spot fines.

He spoke out after councillors in Clitheroe wrote to the heads of schools in the town asking for a ban on bubble gum in the playground.

A town hall meeting this week heard residents were angry about the amount of chewing gum deposited on town centre pavements.

Now the Shadow Secretary of State for Wales has called for community bobbies to tackle bubble gum nuisance on a national level.

He said: "Spitting out chewing gum is offensive and can damage people's property. It's a foul thing to do and if people want to chew gum they should be responsible about it. They have to learn that spitting gum in the street is not acceptable.

"It should be subject to an instant fine and policed by community police officers. The offenders might learn a lesson if they had to cough up cash, too."

Clitheroe town clerk John Wells, said councillors had written to head teachers asking them to educate youngsters on the problem.

He said: "We have written to schools in Clitheroe asking them to make sure pupils don't deposit chewing gum on pavements or in playgrounds.

"We can hardly stop people dropping litter, so quite what can be done about chewing gum I don't know. Councillors think educating youngsters might be the way forward."

A spokesman for Lancashire Constabulary said spitting out chewing gum was not specifically covered by legislation, but could be enforced by laws against dropping litter.

She said: "Our community support officers have powers to deal with litter offences and dropping chewing gum could be covered by these.

"If any of our officers saw someone spitting chewing gum on to the street, I'm sure they would take action. This is exactly the kind of offence they are employed to deal with."