A PIONEERING scheme which will use modern art to attract new investment into Accrington's empty shops has been backed by traders and council chiefs - despite councillors being told that one of the artists had wanted to use live maggots in a sculpture.

Arts and craftspeople will place their work in empty shop windows through a project called Art Attack, which aims to brighten up the town and get retail bosses interested in vacant properties.

The artist leading the initiative told the council's Accrington town centre regeneration board that one proposed piece of art was rejected by the project's co-ordinators - because it featured live maggots.

Malcom McGregor, representing Peel Street Baptist Church, said: "There are a lot of things that pass in the name of art. Who will be vetting these productions?"

Baxenden-based artist Judith Cormack, who is leading the project, replied: "We had a problem with one of the the projects. We asked environmental health and they said 'You can't use live maggots', so the artist re-designed his proposal."

Mr McGregor replied: "I didn't realise we were on the cutting edge of post-modernism in Accrington!"

The board agreed to match £1,500 which has already been granted to the town centre project by the Hyndburn Partnership. Accrington and Rossendale College is providing facilities for the artists and there is no cost to shop owners. Up to four exhibitions would take place in Accrington at any one time, and the artwork would move shop every month or so. A similar scheme has already been given the go-ahead in the other parts of the borough.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.