A BID to stamp out a sticky problem blighting the streets of Crewe has been launched.
Community wardens have declared war on chewing gum and as part of the campaign they have begun giving away 'Butt & Gum' pouches.
These include sections of paper to encourage people to wrap up their used chewing gum or cigarette butt, rather than throw it on the ground.
Discarded chewing gum and cigarette ends are a common and costly problem in Crewe and Nantwich but Cllr John Hammond believes the Wrap It Up campaign, launched on Monday, could be the answer.
He said: 'Offering the gum pouches is a small gift to help minimise the litter on the borough's streets and the unsightly black marks left from the remnants of gum on our town's pavements.
'The pouches are a handy solution to prevent people discarding their gum on the pavement.'
Community wardens will be patrolling the town centre over the Christmas period under-taking a mixture of education and enforcement to tackle the pest.
Last spring, it cost the council in the region of £12,000 to remove chewing gum from Crewe and Nantwich town centre streets.
Cllr Hammond added: 'There is still a need to educate people about caring for the environment. This is a different approach and we will see what the response is.'
