BLACKBURN'S rejuvenated Church Street is to be paved with gold!

And council chiefs hope the laying of gold-coloured studs on parts of the road will prove to be more than just a practical measure, but a symbolic one representing the town's prosperous future.

Church Street was closed in May as part of a year-long, £2.5million pedestrianisation project which is designed to turn it from a congested thoroughfare into a busy cosmopolitan paved area linking Darwen Street and the Cathedral area to the existing shopping area.

It is hoped that the new street will serve a number of pavement cafes as well as big name stores, along with existing shops and pubs.

Hundreds of thousands of pounds are being spent creating five works of public art depicting Blackburn's link with the cotton industry.

Granite shipped in from China and Italy is currently being laid along the street.

Two drop-ped kerbs have also been installed at the Ainsworth Street end of Church Street to enable disabled people to cross the new road with ease.

And the studs placed in the paving slabs near to the dropped kerb -- so blind people know they are approaching the road -- have been painted gold.

Coun Ashley Whalley, executive member for regeneration, said: "This is a wonderful project which is shaping up very well.

"Hopefully, the gold will prove to be a symbolic prophecy that Church Street is the key to the regeneration of Blackburn, so it is effectively paved with gold."

Coun Whalley joined workers on Church Street yesterday to plant the first trees along the road.

The planting coincided with National Tree Week.

Coun Whalley added: "I think people looking at Church Street can begin to see how good it will look when it is completed.

"I am confident that, once completed, it will be one of the best streets in Blackburn.

"It will also be one which Blackburnians can be very proud of.

"The inclusion of trees into the project is very important to the overall look of the street and I am sure many more will follow."

A council statement said that the trees had been carefully chosen to complement the new atmosphere for Church Street and will include Hungarian Oak, European Hornbeam, Red Maple and Norway Spruce.

The whole Church Street regeneration project has been supported by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, the European Community Regional Development Fund and North West Development Agency.

Local traders claim the project has confused shoppers and clogged up roads around Church Street.