A £750,000 KITTY to fight litter, graffiti and chewing gum has been announced in a bid to restore pride in Blackburn.

Council officers have set aside the sum in their annual budget to help improve Blackburn with Darwen's environment.

No decision has been taken on how the money will be spent, but tackling graffiti, dog fouling, litter and chewing gum stuck to pavements have all been raised as issues blighting the borough.

New town centre rangers will hit the streets of Blackburn this year to keep the town tidy and punish those who mess it up, and it is hoped the one-off budget will ensure the town centre is immaculate when they start.

Council leader Bill Taylor said: "We have listened to the views of our residents who have said the environment needs more investment in terms of maintenance and cleansing."

Ronnie O'Keeffe, vice-president of the Blackburn Chamber of Trade, said: "This is good news. Having a tidy town centre and borough has to be a priority to keep shoppers coming back.

"There is no point spending millions making it look nice if nothing is done about litter, chewing gum or graffiti."

Canon Andrew Hindley, from Blackburn Cathedral, said: "We're lucky in that people do not tend to damage the cathedral grounds. But we welcome the council's pledge to tidy the town centre and make sure people treat areas like Church Street with respect. "

Full details of Blackburn with Darwen's budget proposals will be unveiled at a meeting of the executive board tonight.