CAMPAIGNERS are urging Stourport residents to boost their civic pride in their town by supporting an initiative to have eyesores cleared from the local landscape.

Save Our Streets is being driven by Stourport Civic Society and backed by the Shuttle/Times & News, which is giving readers an opportunity to highlight their areas of concern so that action can be taken.

As well as being intended to tackle litter problems, the campaign has a parallel aim of encouraging urban planners to apply more forethought to design and location of street furniture.

Save Our Streets - originally launched by English Heritage in association with Women's Institutes - is being implemented in towns and cities up and down the country.

Stourport would benefit if townspeople responded to the challenge locally, according to Pauline Annis, chairman of the town's civic society.

"We became aware of it because we are involved with English Heritage for other reasons," she said, "We became aware of the project through that and we felt it was a good idea.

"At our meetings, people stand up and complain about issues in the town so I thought this was an opportunity to do something about this and get some action."

She added: "People are always complaining about things that are wrong with the streets, like graffiti and litter."

Unfortunately, she explained, sometimes the message did not get through to the organisations or individuals who could rectify the problems.

"The council, on the other hand, is saying if we don't know about it we can't do anything," said Mrs Annis.

Now the town's residents have the chance to put their concerns directly to the people who matter.

All you have to do is fill in the questionnaire on this page and send it to the Shuttle/Times & News.

The civic society will then make sure the views are passed on to the relevant Wyre Forest district councillors who will be asked to tackle the issues raised.

The survey covers matters ranging from litter bins to bus stops and obtrusive advertisements and street lighting.

"I see this form as an opportunity for people to report things," said Mrs Annis, "What we're going to do, locally, is monitor it and see what responses we get.

"It gives members of the public a chance to put in a complaint. It's going to give the council the information so they can do something."

She will be practising what she preaches by carrying out her own audit of the street where she lives.