A LEAN, keen, cleaning machine, or rather four of them, have hit the dirty streets of Pendle aiming to clean up.

Pendle Council has taken delivery of four new mini road sweepers as part of its on-going campaign to remove litter from the streets.

The four machines, known as Johnson Compact 40s, run on low-sulphur diesel making them more environmentally-friendly. They also have greater suction power than the authority's three previous road sweepers.

They will gobble up litter, where possible, along 355 miles of road, 700 miles of pavement and more than 450 miles of back streets every week.

Derek Walker, the council's cleansing manager, said: "The new vehicles should remove more litter as they are more efficient. They also produce emissions that are less harmful to the environment."

The council has agreed a sponsorship deal with Nelson-based sign writers Pendle Signs and Plastic. The firm's name will appear on the new road sweepers and on some of the council's other refuse vehicles as part of the deal.

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