The Mayor with a group of tree planters. A previously unpublished image.

The Mayor of Burnley (Ald. J.H.Sutcliffe) promised to plant a tree on the canal bank which members of the Youth Service were engaged in clearing up, but the problem on Sunday morning was finding the place. The Finsley Gate area is not particularly inspiring at the best of times, but with the canal frozen, and the fog distorting the surroundings, it was reassuring to hear the sound of young voices in the gloom ahead. About 60 youngsters under the leadership of Youth Organiser Mr. P. Dibble were busily engaged in clearing stones, turning over the heavy soil, and planting trees in an effort to improve the look of an unsightly piece of Burnley. For the past few weeks groups of young people have been very busy on this stretch of the canal bank, accepting the Mayor's invitation to help clear up derelict sites.

Ald. Sutcliffe planted the first tree, and said that anyone who turned out that morning in the wretched conditions was a hero. The Youth Organiser said youngsters had rallied round extremely well, and had done a good job of work. Mr. Dibble expressed the view that in further work of this nature, or in Operation Spring-clean, voluntary effort by itself was not enough, and that efforts must be supplemented by professional help. The fact that so many young people had turned out at weekends to tackle a job demanding hard physical labour without any glamour attached, is proof that young people will accept a challenge if approached in the right manner. Mr. Dibble said that because of an unfortunate misunderstanding the Surveyor's Department delivered 15 tons of soil instead of 100, but there was no question of any of the young people being angry about it. "I decided that it would be better to finish early anyway because of the dense fog," he said. "The work will be finished when the soil is delivered."