A COUNCIL is urging people to shop anyone they see dumping litter at a landscaped canalside tow path to police.

Audley resident Sean Plant, of Merchant's Landing, Blackburn, who walks his dog along the canal behind Asda each morning, says the area could be a place for the town to be proud of -- if it was kept free from rubbish.

Mr Plant said although council contractors had returned to clear the area of rubbish this week, after receiving complaints, it had not been cleared before that for more than six months.

"It is an eyesore to be honest," he said. "I walk my dog there and it is used by about 100 people a day I would say, many of them who do the same as me.

"But it is becoming a completely forgotten area. It is an area which doesn't seem to exist in most people's eyes."

He said he believed there should be a regular rota-style clear-up of the area, to stop it from becoming an eyesore again.

He added that there was a 200-year-old stone bridge there which was slowly being destroyed by local vandals who had been throwing stones at it.

"It is disgusting that this area can be left to go like this. It could be a really nice area, but it is being left to turn into a rubbish dump."

He added that he believed there should be a conservation order on the bridge.

Director of direct services for the council Peter Hunt said: "Now this has been brought to our attention we have requested staff to go to the area concerned to carry out an inspection and they will remove any rubbish that has been dumped there.

"We urge members of the public to contact ourselves or the police if they see anybody fly-tipping so that the culprits can be reprimanded."