UNFORTUNATELY I have to concur with the headlines that Blackburn is a dirty town (LET, April 16).

Last week, a friend who had never been to Blackburn before paid me a visit and, before going back home to Skipton, she said she had never seen a town with so much rubbish everywhere you look.

Of course, that is due to a minority of people who just throw their litter away.

And I would personally like to see some on-the-spot fines to deter this kind of behaviour.

However, the executive member for housing and neighbourhood services must take his share of the blame for the fly-tipping which is now out of hand.

He was warned last year by opposition councillors what would happen, but still introduced the ban on vans at household refuse recycling centres.

Now, we can see the result of his folly -- rubbish everywhere.

COUN D PEARSON, Rawstorne Street, Blackburn.