A MONTH-long crackdown on the mess left by chewing gum in Oxford has led to a big cut in the amount stuck to pavements.

But tonight the city council said it might not have the money to pay for future campaigns.

The Government paid for the crackdown, which started on September 12, called Wrap It, Bin It, Easy Isn't it?

Now, despite the council needing to make budget savings of £5m, councillors hope to find more money to keep on top of the problem.

Twelve areas in the city centre, including Cornmarket, Queen, High, and George Streets, Carfax, Bonn Square, and St Aldate's, were monitored.

In the month before the campaign, 323 pieces of gum were dropped in sampling areas - but after the campaign the figure fell to 120 - a 63 per cent reduction.

Jean Fooks, the council's executive member for a cleaner city, said: "It would be quite futile not to do more. This shows we can make a difference.

"But we're not getting any more grants for it, so I hope we can find some resources.

"One of the main aims is to clean up the city's streets so I hope we can find some money to continue an anti-gum campaign. Dropping chewing gum is a littering offence and is one of those things that upsets people."

One of the Lib Dems central pledges when they took control of the council last year was to keep the streets clean and tidy.

During the blitz, environmental enforcement officers handed out ten £75 fines for littering offences, including throwing gum on the floor.

Anti-chewing gum posters and stickers were displayed in bus shelters, on bins and billboards across the city.

However, not everyone was happy with the results.

Tom Wright, of Budleigh Salterton, Devon, stayed in Oxford on Saturday night.

He said: "The litter bins were overflowing with the detritus of the many fast food businesses and, judging by the state of things like banana skins, they hadn't been emptied for some time.

"We walked down George Street and had to step around what looked like a vagrant lying prone across the footpath alongside the New Theatre.

"Outside the pubs, there was a carpet of cigarette ends and all the footpaths were covered in old chewing gum.

"Needless to say, it will take a great deal for me to ever come to your city again."

Ms Fooks added: "The aim of this campaign was to raise awareness of chewing gum littering, educate people on responsible disposal of gum and let people know those who break the law and drop gum on the floor can be fined up to £75.

"It looks like this message has really made an impact - but we realise we need to sustain the momentum of the campaign and change people's behaviour for good."