RESIDENTS claim the chocolate box image of Lavenham, one of East Anglia's most picturesque villages, is under threat from litter being left on its historic streets.

RESIDENTS claim the chocolate box image of Lavenham, one of East Anglia's most picturesque villages, is under threat from litter being left on its historic streets.

Anger is mounting over the standard of street cleaning carried out in the medieval village andeveral residents have complained to the parish council about the amount of litter on the streets and the number of overflowing rubbish bins.

Parish Council chairman Lyn Gurling said the problem had become so bad, she took it upon herself to empty overflowing bins outside the historic Guildhall, and another villager now walks along High Street twice a day picking up litter.

Babergh District Council said it had not received any complaints and added its contractors continued to provide a high standard of street cleaning in Lavenham.

But Mrs Gurling said: "We are not very happy at all with the standard of the street cleaning. Litter is building up on the streets and bins are sometimes left overflowing.

"The situation has been deteriorating over the past nine months and we have received several complaints from residents.

"We used to have a road sweeper who kept the place immaculate, but now the streets are not swept often enough. We are all very concerned over the situation."

Thousands of people flock to Lavenham every year to enjoy the streets lined with timber-framed buildings, picture postcard views and the church with its impressive stained glass windows.