A CALL has been made for a clampdown on East Lancashire's gum-chewing litterbugs after it was revealed it could cost more than £1million to clear streets.

Council chiefs say there appears to be no cheap way of solving the problem of discarded gum trodden into the county's pavements.

Councils and environmental groups have joined forces in a call for people to dispose of gum properly and save on their council tax in the process.

Hyndburn Council officers estimate the cost of scraping chewing gum from the borough's streets could be £275,000.

A spokesman said: "If there is a similar problem elsewhere in East Lancashire then the cost runs into seven figures."

Blackburn with Darwen Council officers say they face constant problems in town centres. A two street trial of special machinery in Blackburn town centre cost £3,500 - enough to clean a whole district for a whole month using usual methods.

Council leader Malcolm Doherty said: "It really is terrible. People who spit out gum create an unsightly mess.

"It doesn't take much for people to dispose of gum properly. I chew gum, but I never spit it on to the floor.

"There are some European towns which have on the spot fines for people caught spitting gum. I always thought that was a bit draconian but the problem is getting that bad that I am thinking again."

A spokesman added: "We are planning a poster campaign later this year.

"Sometimes in the town centres the situation can be intolerable. The only real solution is for people to stop spitting chewing gum out."

John Kirk, director (services) at Pendle Council said the authority bought a so called "gum busting" machine around a year ago.

He said: "It has done a tremendous job and as a result we can keep on top of the problem.

"But of course the trouble is the minute you've cleared it up there's another lot there.

"The only real solution is for people to stop spitting the stuff out, then pedestrians won't tread it into the pavement." Burnley Council environment and cleansing manager Andrew Mason said: "We simply don't have the money to clean every street so the solution is simple, don't spit out chewing gum.

"Its not as if there aren't any bins around in our town centres. We would go along with any call for people to stop spitting gum out on the floor."

Burnley MP Peter Pike added: "This is a disgusting habit. It is a problem everywhere you go.

"Every MP gets a lot of letters from constituents about chewing gum along with litter and dogs fouling pavements."

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