Harlow Council has begun a major clean-up of the town. The campaign is called "Together We Can ... A Safer, Cleaner Harlow" and will run from now to March 2006.

The town's 19 shopping hatches will be deep-cleaned between now and 20 December. In the new year, 20 housing estates will get a major clean-up, as will cycle paths and subways.

Liberal Democrat environment and community spokesman Cllr Eleanor Macy says:

"Our campaign supports the Council's top priority - a clean, safe and sustainable environment. It's about carrying out extra cleaning across the town, raising pride in our town, and working with local people to keep Harlow clean and safe.

We know, consistently through consultation work, that the most important thing to residents is making Harlow a cleaner, safer place. That's why we are doing this. We are linking the residents' two priorities together because by cleaning up areas we can also lower the fear of crime across the town.

We need people to work with us so together we can make Harlow cleaner and safer. Residents can do this by being responsible, reporting issues to us and letting us know about people who are messing up our town. It's about us all taking pride in the place we live."