Shopkeepers could be forced to clean graffiti from their buildings - or face being billed for its removal.

Basildon Council is urging shop owners to get rid of all illegally-daubed artwork from their premises or suffer hefty charges.

Wickford, one of the hardest hit areas, will be used as a guinea pig before the council decide whether to roll the scheme out across the district.

Tony Ball, cabinet member for community safety, said: "Rather than force shops into this we want them to join forces with us and take more responsibility for clearing up graffiti and flyposting when it occurs on privately-owned buildings.

"However, if the owner does not comply, the council can draft in its own grime-busting teams to carry out the work and recharge the cost."

The powers are available to the council under changes to the anti-social behaviour act.

The council has written letters to all Wickford shopkeepers urging them to join the battle. The move follows a £5,000 five-day blitz which saw all graffiti removed in the town last month.

Mr Ball said under the act the council could serve notices ordering removal, but wanted to work with shopkeepers because it did not want to penalise victims who do not choose to have their property vandalised.

He added: "Graffiti and flyposting is a blight on the environment.

"It is in the interests of local residents and the businesses to ensure the area continues to attract visitors by looking clean and tidy."

He said he hoped the new digital CCTV system in the town would also help catch some of the offenders.

Jason Clark, manager of Iceland, in the high street, said: "We already remove graffiti as a matter of course. If the council gives us notice and enough time to clear it off it would be ok.

But what it really needs is a bigger police presence so they could catch the people responsible and stop it happening in the first place."