BLACKPOOL'S green guardians have been honoured by a leading environmental group for putting the pride back into the resort.

They received awards from Mayor Fred Jackson at the eighth annual presentation ceremony staged by Keep Blackpool Tidy at the Town Hall.

They included road sweeper Eddie Naughton, hailed as a shining example to the town with his conscientious work record of 17 years without a day off sick, and pensioner Clark Llewellyn, who was praised for helping keep his Palatine Road neighbourhood litter-free.

Civic Trust chairman Barry Shaw received the premier individual award for his outstanding work, including research on the town centre heritage trail, heritage tours, slide presentations and photography.

Other recipients in the individual and voluntary organisation category were St John's Primary School, for its town centre roof garden, and Anchorsholme Environmental Watch, co-ordinated by Jim Ainsworth.

The premier award in the commercial section went to Kim Simons, whose bottle disposal company has sent more than 1,700 tonnes of glass for recycling in the two and a half years since it was formed.

Other awards went to Blackpool town centre manager Nigel Hanson; McDonald's restaurant, Bank Hey Street; Glasdon UK Ltd; Kentucky Fried Chicken, Whitegate Drive.

Mayoress Pamela Jackson told guests members of the organisation rolled up their sleeves and got stuck in to the problem rather than whingeing about it.

In his annual report, KBT chairman Philip Dunne paid tribute to the work of its volunteers in the community, schools and business.

The vote of thanks was proposed by Sylvia Thorpe, a past president of Blackpool Hotel and Guesthouse Association.

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