HUDDERSFIELD people are urging the community to act together to tackle litter louts.

Readers have been sending their views to the Examiner since we launched our Clean Up The Town Campaign last Wednesday.

Our campaign - prompted by readers' complaints about litter, graffiti and neglected green areas - asked people to stop dropping litter and urged Kirklees Council to tackle the problems and spruce up the town.

Many readers have named their ``grot spots" in Huddersfield and suggested what could be done about them.

Now, some readers are suggesting that it is the public's job - not just the council's - to improve the state of Huddersfield.

One Examiner website visitor, Cindy, from Farnley Tyas, said: "May I suggest we all consider it our problem and, therefore, our responsibility?"

She suggested that Huddersfield has clean-up days, with volunteers spending a few hours litter-picking and painting over graffiti - preferably with help or donations from local businesses.

Cindy added: "Imagine many volunteers working together to restore the pride and beauty to our town centre.

"Perhaps we would all feel a greater sense of pride.

"Quit complaining about the `council's responsibility'. It's our responsibility and together we can do it."

Anthony, posting a web message from Melbourne, Australia, said businesses should also do their bit.

He said: "Places like McDonalds should be responsible for cleaning up their lazy customers' mess."

A 91-year-old Lindley woman, who did not want to be named, said she felt people were less responsible with litter today than in the past.

The woman said she was disgusted by litter piled up in stairwells on Threadneedle Street and along the pavement on Market Street.

She said the litter was so bad her eyes were drawn to it every week as she walked from the bus station - even though she has very limited sight.

She added: "There is a drop down a flight of stairs, with railings, and down that hole it's absolutely awful, a foot deep in rubbish.

"I wouldn't like to stir it up, because I don't know what I would find.

"It is disgusting, I don't think it's ever been cleaned."

She added that Market Street had a litter problem.

She said: "There is paper and litter all along there. I could mention a lot more places.

"We never used to have a mess like that. I can remember better times, so it annoys me. I wouldn't dream then of throwing even a bus ticket on the pavement, it wasn't like that years ago."

She said Huddersfield needed to regain its former status - as one of the top towns to live in.

"Now, it is awful," she added.

She said: "We used to say if you live in Huddersfield or Harrogate, you could live anywhere - meaning they were lovely places to live. Now it is awful."

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