SHE'S weathered well during her 100 years watching over Blackburn, but now Queen Victoria is in danger of becoming Green Victoria!

Moss has been spreading over the statue on the Boulevard, prompting calls for council chiefs to look after existing sculptures rather than demanding new ones each year.

The monument was unveiled in 1905, four years after the queen's death.

Around 200,000 people lined the streets to watch Princess Louise, Queen Victoria's daughter, unveil the statue.

In recent years, Blackburn with Darwen Council has secured funding for street art in Church Street, Blackburn and statues across the borough.

But Richard Prest, chairman of Blackburn Civic Society said: "This statue is very well-known and liked. It is important the council maintains its existing statues, as well as installing new ones."

Albert Branscombe, chairman of Blackburn Local History Society, said: "The unveiling of the statue was a momentous occasion.

"All of the people who attended, and there were many thousands, would have remembered the day for a very long time.

"Statues do fall into disrepair, but do look very good when cleaned. There is a similar one in Liverpool in very good condition after it was cleaned and I would like to think the same could happen here."

Nobody at the council was able to say when the statue was last cleaned.

The council says that the statue was cleaned some time last year.

But Coun Andy Kay, executive member for regeneration, said: "We do have a maintenance schedule for all our public art, and I will need to find out why Queen Victoria looks like this.

"Statues such as this do have more impact looking aged, but certainly not green.

"We have a blast washing technique which has been used for the base of the statue in the past and I will make sure it is done."

Passers-by agreed that the Queen Victoria statue needed to be cleaned.

Grace Egglestone of St Gabriel's Avenue said: "It needs some attention now. After all, the statue is part of Blackburn's heritage and tradition."

Mary Lamont, 50, of Highfield Road said: "It looks a mess, it should be cleaned up regularly. I walk with my grandchildren down here to look at the statue and they've even started to ask me 'why is it so green?'"

Paul Lancaster of Livesey Branch Road, Blackburn, said: "It's next to the cathedral which is something a lot of people come to Blackburn to see so it needs to be looking its best.

Peter Wright, 21, of Bolton Road, said: "I've lived in Blackburn all my life and I've never seen it cleaned in all that time. It's an insult to an old Queen."

Lee Craig, 30, of Honeyhall said: It's atrocious, I've never seen it that bad. It's in terrible condition considering how important she was."