FINANCE chiefs had to defend Worcester's new hi-tech street cleaning machine after fellow councillors queried the cost.

Labour councillor Jo Hodges said she did a double take when she saw the figures - £528 a week to rent, which is about £27,500 a year and £110,000 over the four-year lease.

She said it cost the same as the extra cash needed to offer city pensioners and disabled people cheap bus travel across Worcestershire - something the Tory-led council earlier said it did not have the money for.

Other questions were asked about whether the machine could be used in all streets and in all weathers, as well as the wisdom of choosing new High Street paving stones that required special cleaning facilities.

However, Independent councillor Mike Layland, who used the Aquazura Eco-Washer during a clean-up in Ronkswood two weeks ago, praised its results.

"It is coming again on Saturday. It worked very well and we were very grateful for it," he said.

Council leader Stephen Inman said the cleaner, which sweeps, vacuums and washes, had replaced other machines and was a good deal.

"It is extremely versatile," he said. "There are no geographical restrictions on where this can be used and weather no more affects this machine than any other. Of course, no washing takes place in freezing temperatures but that doesn't prevent the machine from sweeping or vacuuming.

"We have a serious problem about the amount of food that is eaten on the move. Food grease would attack and be absorbed into whatever surface we have, not just the paving stones chosen.

"It is pure common sense that we tackle the problem as soon as we can rather than leave it to fester."

Cabinet member for finance, Coun Simon Geraghty, said payments were over four years and were not comparable to finding £109,000 for consessionary bus passes in a single year, as queried by Coun Hodges.