SYMPATHY for residents complaining about debris from a row of fir trees bordering Michael Crescent has come from district councillor David Williams.

He said the street was in an "appalling" state, as were many other streets in Malvern.

The matter was brought to public notice last week when a preservation order was put on the row of Scots pines, which are in the grounds of Dyson Perrins School, to prevent them from being lopped.

The lopping had been authorised by headmaster Peter Buchanan after complaints that they were blocking light from houses in Michael Crescent.

As a member of the refuse collection and street cleaning team reviewing Malvern Hills District Council's Best Value policy, Coun Williams takes a special interest in the state of the town's streets.

He said: "Michael Crescent is supposed to be cleaned on 13 occasions per year, but I think this is a figment of someone's imagination.

"The state of the whole of Malvern is appalling and I am trying to get the town, district and county councils together to sort it out for next year."

He singled out Edith Walk as another example of an untidy street, where rubbish was left in the grass after some recent strimming of undergrowth.

"Have we no pride?" asked Coun Williams, adding: "We have to raise the standard. If you look after things, people tend to look after them for you."