BURNLEY is a 'dirty, filthy drug-ridden town,' a former mayor of the town claimed today.

Councillor Lilian Clark made the scathing comments after becoming fed up with the state of the area.

But another former mayor, Burnley Lib Dem leader Coun Gordon Birtwistle, said he was appalled at her remarks.

And the town's Community Safety Partnership today vowed to tackle crime and grime in some of the most deprived area in Burnley.

And police chiefs reassured residents that a raft of measures were in the pipeline to help tackle the town's problems.

The Partnership - a group made up of the police, council and different agencies to improve the area - has launched 'Operation Hot Spot' to blitz deprived areas.

The move comes after new figures showed the Trinity area, which includes Accrington Road, was ranked in the top two per cent of the most deprived areas in England with some of the highest unemployment, crime and anti-social behaviour rates.

The operation will kick off in Trinity today which will see action against bad tenants, back-yard clean-ups and inspections, extra police patrols, graffiti removal, extra patrols by the dog warden and park rangers, enforcement action against fly tippers and purges on untaxed vehicles.

Coun Clark, who lives in Griffin Close, said: "Burnley is a dirty, filthy drug-ridden town and it's getting worse all the time.

"There's no law and order any more. Back yards are spilling over with rubbish, there's rats all over the place - one neighbour actually had one on her window sill. It's very disappointing to see things have got so bad."

Coun Birtwistle said: " As an ex-mayor I am appalled by what has been said.

"We are supposed to helping to bring pride to the town. We do have problems in Burnley, but we are trying our best to raise the image of the town so people will want to come to Burnley and live and work here."

Trinity was also in the top two per cent of the worst in the country for health, deprivation and disability and in the top one per cent of the worst education, skills and training.

It was ranked in the top 12 per cent for the worst levels of crime and disorder. And According to the 2001 Census 17 per cent of people aged 16 to 74 were unemployed whereas in Burnley as a whole just three per cent were unemployed.

Trinity ward councillor Carole Galbraith said: "I think Lilian has got a point. The figures are alarming but haven't come as a shock because we know there are a lot of problems in this area.

"The people taking drugs can't afford their habit which leads to other problems and crime. Many tenants are transient so they have no pride in the area - even in the alley gated area there's problems with fly-tipping from residents leaving their rubbish in back yards because they only stay for a few months and then move. This leads to a lot of distress and concern for the residents who have lived in the area a long time.

"The council does what it can with limited resources but as soon as one yard is cleared the rubbish starts piling up again."

Burnley Police Inspector Dave Croll said: "There is an awful lot of good work that already goes on within communities in Burnley. The idea of Operation Hot Spot is to co-ordinate all agencies, residents and community groups in working alongside one another to ensure we are all heading in the same direction to get better in Burnley. Tackling crime and anti-social behaviour is a key part of making our community better by working together to reduce levels of crime and anti-social behaviour."

After six weeks of intense activity by residents and local agencies, the operation will move to the next hot spot.

Issues to be tackled in Trinity include litter, fly tipping, youth nuisance, arson, underage drinking and drug dealing.

Burnley Community Safety Partnership Action Group chairman, Coun Charles Bullas, said: "This is the largest and most ambitious project that has ever been undertaken by the Community Safety Partnership.

"Everyone involved is committed to making a difference and to ensuring that one by one in order of priority, our most deprived neighbourhoods become cleaner, greener and safer than ever before. "

Trinity resident John Burrows called on locals to get involved. He said: "The results of the Operation will very much depend on the level of involvement from local residents. We need them to play their part by assisting in clean-ups, by reporting fly-tippers, drug dealers and bad tenants and by giving their full support to all the agencies that will be working in Trinity over the next six weeks."

Anyone who wants to get directly involved should contact the area's new neighbourhood area worker, Allison Kay-Porter on 01282 477326.