IN just seven days' time, two people who wield a considerable amount of power over a town's reputation, will have scoured the streets of Otley.

Those guardians of litter-free, colourful and sweet-smelling civic pride - the judges from the annual Britain in Bloom competition - will have cogitated and ruminated about the merits of our flower beds, our weed-free pavements and our poop-scoop bins.

At least, that's what we hope they will have seen. Let's hope they don't see Otley's alter-ego, the one which reared its head a year ago and sank Otley to the near-bottom of its league.

Huge efforts are being made by a small but dedicated band of people, meeting regularly and working with city council cleansing officers to ensure the planned route is spic and span next Wednesday morning.

It's a case of once bitten, twice shy for the Otley in Bloom committee, determined that this year we will fight Ilkley for a top spot - the town whose dominance has been unchallenged for too long. And they have planned a course with military precision in the hope that residents will follow suit and tidy up around their homes.

After all, it doesn't take a lot of time or effort just to check for litter or to pull up any rogue weeds which may be blighting the path. To that end, Otley's Chamber of Trade has organised a community litter-pick the night before D-Day, in which members hope businesses people, traders and residents will take part.

The only equipment volunteers need is a shovel, a pair of gloves and a spare hour to give Otley a quick wash and brush up, which will hopefully pave the way for an equally sparkling report when the judges have finished their assessment.

It is all too easy, however, to pontificate and urge other people to do these things through column inches. So at Wharfedale Newspapers we are putting our money where our collective mouth is.

Editor-in-Chief Mel Vasey will be rolling up his sleeves and joining the litter-pick. We hope he will be just one of many.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.