COUNCIL cleaning crews have blitzed a Blackpool "grot spot" and held a special rubbish amnesty in two of the town's dirtiest areas.

The landmark amnesty was an attempt to stop the illegal "fly tipping" which plagues the alleyways in and around the George Street and Caunce Street areas, creating scenes like the one pictured here.

Dangerous items such as asbestos, car parts and oil drums are often dumped in the alleyways as an alternative to paying to have the waste disposed of properly.

Some householders also use the streets to discard broken furniture and household waste.

The amnesty saw people emptying their properties of unwanted items and leaving them in the street to be collected by a team of council grime-busters.

Richard Nulty, Blackpool's community services director, said the street makeover project would not be a regular event, but was designed to kick-start a more caring attitude about their streets.

"The area is blighted by some unscrupulous householders who don't care about their local surroundings and take it upon themselves to throw any waste into the back alleys for someone else to clean up," he said.

He added that it was local people who suffered most from waste being tipped in back alleyways and an end to the problem would only come with a change in attitude from the culprits.

Blackpool's waste collection services can be contacted during office hours on (01253) 478415.