A NEW weapon has been launched to fight street clutter and fly-posting in Hereford.

The company which makes the 2.75-metre high cylinders claims they will provide much-needed spaces for events to be publicised in the city.

Apart from businesses, who will be charged £8 a week to advertise, the free-standing pillars will have news on regional cultural events and provide information and maps for tourists.

Neil Oakden, from Public Information Pillars Ltd, whose company received planning permission to erect six of the glass reinforced polymer pillars last week, said half the money raised through advertising would go to the local authority.

"These pillars offer cheap advertising that will greatly reduce fly-posting and cut the number of A-boards on the pavements," he said.

"This will be a particular benefit in Hereford to blind students, who will be told the exact locations of the pillars before they are put up."

The rocket-shaped pillars have however, received criticism and the Hereford Civic Society and the city's conservation manager believe the cylinders will add street clutter - the very thing they are supposed to stop.

The civic society also claimed there was no demand for extra advertising space and the pillars would become targets for vandals.

Councillors partially agreed and stopped 14 pillars going up in areas such as High Town and Aylestone Hill.

However, the following locations were approved: Garrick House car park, Hereford Railway Station, Herefordshire College of Art, Merton Meadow car park, Union Walk bus station and West Street car park.

Mr Oakden added that surveys had been conducted in Ross-on-Wye and discussions opened in Leominster with a view to erecting pillars in the market towns.