TAXI drivers have been given the green light to put Magic Eye stickers on their cabs.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has ruled private taxi firms and black cabs can sport the Lancashire Evening Telegraph scanner appeal stickers to promote the appeal.

Now thousands more people could see the 12in by 3in colour stickers flash before their eyes outside local pubs, traffic lights and taxi ranks.

The Magic Eye appeal aims to raise £200,000 for a state-of-the-art ultrasound endoscopic scanner which would benefit the whole of East Lancashire.

All 500 taxi firms registered with the council needed official permission from the authorities before putting stickers in their cars.

Jeanette Hicks of the environmental health services department said: "All stickers in taxis are controlled by the council with a special application going before a committee to keep advertising under control.

"But we are delighted to give our full backing to the appeal stickers and they will be distributed from the town hall as of today."

Pendle, Rossendale and Ribble Valley councils are also following suit with plans to approve the stickers for display this week.

Imtiaz Ahmed of Pendle's democratic and legal services department said he could not see there being a problem with putting the stickers in the taxi windows.

They will be distributed from Pendle Town Hall in the next couple of days.

Brewers Daniel Thwaites backed the appeal by becoming major sponsors of the stickers, which feature the slogan I'm Backing the Lancashire Evening Telegraph Magic Eye Appeal - Are You? and our Magic Eye logo.

Sheila Shaw, the appeal co-ordinator, said: "This is great news for the appeal and now people will see the message all across town. We are very grateful for the council's support which just goes to show what a worthwhile campaign this is.

"The target will be reached only by people getting together for fundraising activities, so it is essential the news of the appeal stretches as far as possible."

Edward James of Blackburn-based Elite Taxis said the move was welcomed by the drivers.

"I think it is right that taxi firms should be allowed to support the appeal - anything to do with promoting good health should not be a problem."

But Mr James added: "But the monopoly the council have on controlling taxi firms is too strong and needs to be relaxed."

Mohammed Ariaf, a driver of black cabs for 19 years, said the sticker campaign was a "great idea".

"At the end of the day we are travelling all over Blackburn so it is the perfect way to get the message across.

"It is rare to get permission like this for such a wide campaign."

Stickers spotted in cars can still win £10 courtesy of Thwaites.

Each week we choose one lucky winner who is displaying a sticker in their vehicle and print the registration number in the paper on Friday.