STREET cleaners had a tough job persuading residents to let the council remove graffiti tags from their walls for free.

During Old Town’s safe and clean day PCSOs had to knock on doors to entice people to make the most of the service.

Swindon Council sent out about 300 disclaimers offering to remove tags from private property before yesterday’s clean up.

But it only received about eight letters back, so could not remove the vast majority of ugly tags blighting the area.

Throughout the course of the day the council managed to get permission from more homeowners – bringing the total up to 40.

Environment enforcement manager Richard Palacio said: “I don’t know why people are not using the service.

“It is free and we give them a stamped address envelope.

“Swindon Services have been removing tags and we also have a few members of the public assisting us with removing small tags from lamp posts and signs.”

Rob Core, contract manager for Street Clean, said: “We are trying to encourage everybody to make the most of our tagging removal service. Often a letter from the council is just put in the bin. PCSOs have been trying to get results from talking to people.”

The operation covered areas spanning the Town Gardens, Prospect Hill, Goddard Avenue and Croft Sports Centre.

Mr Core said: “There is not too much of a problem here. It is a relatively good area.

“The safe and clean day is a high visibility presence.”

The operations take place on the last Thursday of every month.

Almost 500 tags painted on the walls of the Eastcott and Kingshill neighbourhoods were scrubbed clean in July.

It was the highest ever number of tags removed during the safe and clean day in the area.

During the morning 27 bags of rubbish were cleared from the streets and half a tonne of fly-tipped waste was removed.