Revellers visiting two popular Norwich bars this weekend are going to be given the chance to help support a campaign to rid the city's streets of the blight of graffiti.

The Evening News has launched its Graffitibusters campaign in a bid to try and combat the growing number of illegal graffiti tags which are threatening to spoil this fine city of ours. People have been urged to support the campaign by donating their time and money which can be used to buy paint to help keep the streets clean as part of a series of paint-outs attended by police and volunteers.

A plea for more paint to help the crackdown continue has recently been issued with The Mall Norwich already donating more than 200 litres to the cause.

And now two city bars, Queen of Iceni, on Wherry Road, Riverside and Revolution, on Queen Street, Norwich, have pledged their support by agreeing to hold collections for the campaign over the weekend.

Alasdair Peat, manager of Queen of Iceni, said: 'I live in Riverside and work in Riverside and if you go to the other side of the river the graffiti is getting out of control. It's a worthwhile campaign to preserve the beauty of the city.' Mr Peat said there will be a bucket behind the bar on Friday and Saturday where customers can help 'clean up the city' by donating money.

Revolution manager Matt Glister will also be holding a collection for the campaign on Friday and Saturday night and hopes visitors to the Queen Street bar will show their support.

He said: 'Graffiti is a big issue for the residents and people who live around us. What we're planning to do is have posters up behind the bar and will brief the staff over the weekend that any donations will go towards the campaign.'

The bars have pledged their support after hearing about the campaign at a meeting of the Norwich City Licensing Forum earlier this month.

Julian Foster, chairman of the city centre Safer Neighbourhood Action Panel (SNAP), informed members of the licensing forum that there was an urgent need for paint.

Mr Foster, who is also chairman of the Central Norwich Citizens' Forum, said: 'I'm extremely happy at the willingness of our partners on the Licensing Forum to support this very worthwhile cause which has already achieved so much.

'It is good to know that our friends running licensed premises throughout the city centre are prepared to throw their weight behind our campaign to free the city of unpleasant graffiti that so spoils the environment for everybody and to provide support in such a practical way'.