Bolton Council has launched a “behavioural change” crackdown on litter louts who drop their cigarette butts in the street.

Town hall bosses hope to combat the problem with a poster campaign aimed at educating smokers and by handing out portable ashtray pouches that people can use to cleanly dispose of their stubs.

The poster contains a simple “Love Bolton, hate litter” message on a black background, with the letter “L” in litter replaced by a cigarette end.

The slogan will also be used on T-shirts and high-visibility jackets worn by council workers.

The campaign, which will cost the taxpayer £20,000, will be launched next Tuesday at an event in Victoria Square.

If the message does not get through, anyone caught dropping a cigarette end can be fined up to £75.

Since January this year, the council has handed out 91 fines for littering and 23 people have been prosecuted for not paying.

Specific figures relating to cigarette ends are not available.

Cllr Sufrana Bashir-Ismail, executive member for cleaner, greener, safer, said: “I think it’s a fantastic campaign.

“It’s about educating and raising awareness and, as a last resort, enforcement.

“It’s about working with residents and getting them to take ownership of their street, their town and their borough.”

There has been a UK-wide increase in the number of cigarette ends dropped on the streets since the smoking ban was introduced in July 2007. New powers to issue on the spot fines of £75 were introduced soon after.