THE WRITING could be on the wall for two Bolton graffiti "taggers" after council and police chiefs launched an appeal to catch them.

"Nero" and "Skan" have been painting their signatures across properties, walls, telephone junction boxes and shop shutters in Lower Deane and Gilnow.

The areas targeted include Wigan Road from around Haslam Park to Deane Road and the Gilnow area from the bottom of Ellesmere Street and Pikes Lane School.

The "Skan" signature has also been spotted in Queens Park.

Bolton Council and Greater Manchester Police are now calling on residents to help them track down the pair.

Police community support officers are distributing flyers around the affected areas asking for people's help.

Graffiti vandals leave the council with a bill of around £100,000 every year which is paid using tax-payers money.

Cllr Elaine Sherrington, Bolton Council's cleaner, greener, safer executive member, said: "Basically it's vandal damage to people's private property. It's unwelcome, distressing, hard to remove and it blights communities.

"Cleaning it off can work out at more than £50 an hour, a bill which the council tax payers in Bolton have to pick up.

"It's a general problem across the whole of the borough and it costs thousands every year to deal with it.

"However, we seem to be experiencing an upsurge in these two areas of Lower Deane and Gilnow."

Insp Phil Unsworth,of Bolton Central Police, said: "This type of criminal damage is viewed by my team as a serious matter and we are working hard with Bolton Council to prevent and identify those persons responsible by deploying extra patrols in the area. "

Anyone with information on the taggers should contact Insp Unsworth or a member of his team on 0161 856 5619 or at bolton.neighbourhoodteam@gmp.police.uk or the council on 01204 336632.

Graffiti is classed as criminal damage and the country-wide clean-up cost is around £1 billion a year which is added to council tax bills.

Those found guilty can be fined up to £5,000 and young offenders may be given a community service order.

Bolton Council can also issue £75 fixed penalty notices.