GRAFFITI will be cleared from homes free of charge by Dartford Council.

Homes throughout the borough and both Dartford and parish council property will be cleared of graffiti for free as from April 1.

Companies will be charged £7.50 per square metre.

But eight areas will be targeted by the new free service before April because of extra money available.

These include private and council properties in the town centre, the approaches towards the town from the east and west, Swanscombe, Temple Hill, Wilmington, Bean and Darenth.

Council leader Councillor John Muckle says the council carried out separate exercises to clear graffiti for free earlier in the year. The free "purges" stopped in July after the money earmarked for the operation was used up.

Conservative group spokesman Councillor Jeremy Kite says the timing of the free service just before the local elections is convenient.

He said: "They have chosen to clear up marginal sites. Cllr Muckle is clearing up cabinet members' own wards and not asking where the problem is."

But Cllr Muckle says the areas earmarked for clearance are the areas worst hit.