IS there somewhere near your home in desperate need of a spring clean?

Then here's your chance to get it cleared up.

The Lancashire Evening Telegraph's Grimewatch team has joined forces with Blackburn with Darwen Council for a one-off project to celebrate the council's Greenweek, which starts on May 16.

We have organised a team of volunteers who are prepared to work with local residents to clean up a local grot spot.

So if you know of somewhere in Blackburn with Darwen which could do with sprucing up, let us know.

It might be a patch of open land which is used as an unofficial dumping site by fly-tippers.

It might be somewhere where litter gathers, or a flower bed that has become overgrown with weeds.

We will choose ONE site to be cleared. Details of all others nominated will be passed on to Blackburn with Darwen Council, who have promised to look at all of them. We will provide a skip and litter-picking equipment.

All you need to provide is your own enthusiasm - and at least four volunteers to help with the clean-up.

Grimewatch co-ordinator Lynn Schofield said: "Grimewatch is all about encouraging people to take responsibility for the environment they live in. The success of Grimewatch over the past 11 years has shown what a difference taking that responsibility can make to the environment. "We could simply turn up and clear the site ourselves, but we believe that by getting local people involved the site is more likely to stay clean in future."

Phil Richards, director of housing and neighbourhood services for Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: "This is an excellent idea and the council is happy to support it."

Nominations should be sent to Lynn Schofield, Grimewatch Co-ordinator, Lancashire Evening Telegraph, Newspaper House, High Street, Blackburn BB1 1HT. You can also send them by fax to 01254 680429 or by e-mail to grimewatch@aol.com

You should include your name, address and a daytime telephone number where we can contact you.

We also need to know where the site is, what the problem is and how long it has been going on. We also need to know how many volunteers you could gather to help with the clean-up.

Nominations must be in by next Friday, May 7. One site will be chosen and the Editor's decision is final.

Anyone who wants to report fly-tipping to Blackburn with Darwen Council but who does not want to nominate the site for the Grimewatch clean-up should ring the neighbourhood health section on 01254 585397.

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