THE Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen has hit out at town council plans to give china cups to children as part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

Coun Karimeh Foster said the money should be put to better use in the community.

She said: “I put this question to the people of Darwen: is this where you want your money to be spent?

“There are other projects in Darwen this money would be better spent on.

"Things like the library, or the Darwen Valley Community Centre are where the money for the jubilee should go.

“I think maybe the people in charge of spending money don’t know how to spend it.”

The town council announ-ed yesterday that £13,000 would be spent on giving 4,000 mugs out to primary school children as part of the diamond jubilee.

They will be handed out at the town centre celebration on Saturday, June 2.