A Norwich shopping centre has donated more than 200 litres of paint to a campaign set up to rid the city's streets of graffiti.

The Evening News has launched its Graffitibusters campaign in a bid to try to combat the growing number of illegal graffiti tags which are blighting this fine city.

The campaign, which is being supported by Norwich police, Central Norwich Citizens Forum, Norwich City Council and the Norwich City Centre Partnership, has urged people to donate money, paint or time to help keep the streets clean.

A plea for more paint to help continue the crackdown has been answered by bosses at The Mall Norwich who have donated a van load of paint to the campaign after general manager Alan Day agreed to help.

Julian Foster, chairman of the city centre Safer Neighbourhood Action Panel (SNAP), who recently put in �500 of his own money to buy paint, said he was delighted with the donation from The Mall.

He said: 'I really am extremely grateful to Alan Day for making this donation. He did promise me that he would try to do something a little while ago but that is going to be very, very useful and will enable us to do a lot more painting.

'I'm extremely pleased, it's a very worthwhile donation and grateful to him and hopefully it will stimulate others to do the same thing.'

The donation has also been welcomed by Sergeant Pete Sharples from the City Centre Safer Neighbourhood Team. He said: 'The generous donation is very welcome and we will use it very carefully to best effect and we will keep on reclaiming the streets and painting away graffiti.'

John Hillson, maintenance manager at The Mall, said: 'We're a community shopping centre and we play our part in the community and we're more than happy to support a much needed cause.'

On Sunday Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) were joined by four individuals carrying out part of their punishment, as part of a restorative justice programme, for the clean-up meeting at Halifax in St Stephens.

They painted out the graffiti at Lion and Castle Yard, the gate to the beauticians, and also a bin cupboard door for a jewellers near John Lewis in addition to some of the roof tops on St Stephens.

The next clean-up takes place tomorrowwith volunteers to meet at 6pm in Tombland.

It will be followed by another clean-up on Wednesday, July 27, also at 6pm, at the junction of Cathedral Street with Prince of Wales Road.

Have you got a story for the Graffitibusters campaign? Call reporter Peter Walsh on 01603 772436.

How you can help

You can also help the campaign by: Sending your donations to Graffitibusters, Central Norwich Citizens' Forum, 2 Roaches Court, Norwich, NR3 1HJ. Cheques should be made payable to Central Norwich Citizens' Forum.

Donating paint – Send your paint, unopened tins or opened tins that are properly sealed, to Sgt Peter Sharples, City Centre Safer Neighbourhoods Team, Bethel Street Police Station, Norwich, NR2 1NN.

Volunteering – Anyone interested in volunteering to help attend clean- up sessions should contact Sgt Peter Sharples at Bethel Street Police Station via 0845 456 4567 or write to Sgt Peter Sharples, City Centre Safer Neighbourhoods Team, Bethel Street Police Station, Norwich, NR2 1NN.

Reporting graffiti – Call Norwich City Council on 0344 980 3333, or alternatively email info@norwich.gov.uk