DARWEN'S town hall and market area is to be given a £10,000 facelift - including perches to stop birds spattering people below!

The work has been approved after Blackburn with Darwen Council won a two-year battle for funding from the government's Social Regeneration Budget One (SRB1).

Workmen will move in for two weeks by the end of this financial year on March 31, when SRB1 financing ends.

The project's main focus is improving the appearance of the town hall and market area, while installing tighter security.

But it also allows council officers to solve a long-time menace above the doors of the town hall by installing anti-nesting and perching material.

They hope this will prevent birds sitting above the entrance and casting their droppings on the unsuspecting public.

The town hall will get benches and an automated watering system for the hanging baskets, while anti-graffiti solutions will be spread on walls to stop vandals who continue to deface the building.

Earlier this week it was announced that rent reductions were being offered to breathe new life into the three-day market in Darwen.

Now, the outside of the buildings will be painted to continue to help improve the image.

And a roller shutter will be installed along with other minor security measures to reduce vandalism.

To help customers and promote future events, information boards will be put up, in addition to signs directing customers around the market area.

Both the market area and town hall will be given an external power supply so Darwen can host outside displays and entertainment events.

Coun Dave Smith, of Darwen's Sunnyhurst Ward, said: "We have been trying to obtain funding for these improvements for a couple of years, so we are very pleased that £10,000 has now been allocated from the SRB1 programme."