NEW town centre rangers have hit the streets of Blackburn on a mission to clean up -- and fine those who don't conform!

Environmental town centre rangers Phil McCartney and Tom Nelson are the first of nine officers to be appointed by Blackburn with Darwen Council to be ambassadors for the council on the borough's streets.

Whereas the other seven, who will be appointed later this year, will deal with a wide variety of issues, Mr McCartney and Mr Nelson will be solely responsible for environmental problems.

They will also remove flyposters and graffiti and report incidents relating to persistent offenders so that the council's legal team can begin prosecutions.

Their appointment is part of the council's £1million Thrash the Trash campaign, which aims to spruce up the borough by getting residents involved and investing extra money in services.

Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council Sir Bill Taylor, said: "As a council, we want to and do listen to our citizens. "Last year they made it very clear to us that the environment, especially the wanton littering of our streets and communities, was a high priority.

"We are working in many different ways to respond to this and I personally welcome Phil and Tom and urge all of our responsible citizens to help them in every way they can."

And to prove that the 'go green' message doesn't stop with residents, the pair have been given a 'dual fuel' van, which is run on unleaded petrol and also LPG, the most environment

ally-friendly fuel available.

Filling the vehicle up on LPG saves approximately £15 per tank of fuel. The emissions which come from LPG vehicles are much lower and, therefore, much more environmentally friendly, than normal vehicles.

The van has the name 'Town Rangers' emblazoned across the beacon bar, together with Thrash the Trash logos and will enable the rangers to travel quickly between Darwen and Blackburn.

The other rangers will have a variety of duties.

As well being medically trained to save lives on the streets of Blackburn town centre, watch out for anti-social behaviour and issue parking tickets, they will give out tourist information.

The nine rangers are due to be appointed by the council and they will be joined by the police's traffic wardens when car parking offences are decriminalised next year.

The town rangers scheme will be initially funded by Government Neighbourhood Renewal Fund money until alternative funding can be found.