COUNCILLOR Peter Britcliffe describes Hyndburn's back streets as looking "like something in Beirut," when it comes to litter (LET, February 22).

I agree, yet would add that Hyndburn's "front" streets (on the subject of potholes) would be a more accurate analogy.

As a conscientious citizen, I do not litter the streets. Each fortnight my newspapers are collected for recycling and my bottles are taken to the town centre bottle banks.

However, two weeks ago, I left my newspapers out for collection only to have the replacement bag left sticking out of my letter box (an open invitation to crime). Even worse, the bag was filthy and reeked of cat urine.

On ringing the council, I was told to throw the bag away. On asking if there was a cleansing process carried out before re-distribution of the bags, I was told that no councils have this facility.

I also pointed out that my journey by car to the bottle bank could be described as 'dodge the landmines.'

The road at the end of my street is a mass of potholes and this is an approach road to a school. The next street has holes in the surface down to the cobbles beneath.

Complaints over the years have simply resulted in 'patch up' jobs which disintegrate within a couple of years.

I am now including my newspapers and bottles with my weekly refuse collection until I see some action by the council.

MRS J BARTON, Earl Street, Great Harwood.