By Alison Freeman BBC News, London

Camera phone pictures can report problems like graffiti to the council

But the curse of the automated phone system could be coming to an end thanks to one authority's efforts to clean up its streets by embracing new technology.

Lewisham Council's Head of Environment Nigel Tyrell has been developing a system that allows the public to see problems solved before their very eyes.

From Monday, anyone living in the south-east London borough can take a snap using their camera phone of the many problems that blight London's roads, such as graffiti or fly-tipping and send it to the council.

Then all they have to do is keep an eye on the new Love Lewisham website to see a photo of the cleaned-up area.

Most people just want to live their lives and only contact the council if something goes wrong, without having to engage in a long letter-writing session Nigel Tyrell, Lewisham Council's head of environment In pictures: Graffiti busting

Potential users just need to download a piece of software from the website which will make it possible for them to send in their snaps.

And the software is compliant with most of the major makes of camera phone.

Mr Tyrell told BBC News: "Most people just want to live their lives and only contact the council if something goes wrong, without having to engage in a long letter-writing session.

"This is a no-brainer. The idea is that someone on the way to work will see a problem, snap it, get on their train and go to work.

System's success

"It will help us to see if there are any problems we have overlooked and deal with them quickly."

The idea has been piloted over the past six months with about 30 members of staff, such as refuse collectors, graffiti operatives and street sweepers, as well as councillors.

And eventually, if successful, it will be a format that can be rolled out to other councils and could even be used to tackle a variety of issues.

Mr Tyrell says the success of the system depends on the response of local people.

Mr Tyrell says the scheme benefits staff as well as residents

He said: "It's important that they feel it's relevant and don't get fed up and stop using it."

If the demonstration I was given when I visited the council's offices in Catford are anything to go by, that should not be the case.

Mr Tyrell took me on a stroll around the surrounding streets and we came across various pieces of graffiti such as 'tags' - the signatures of the vandals.

We found an example on a wall near the town hall and took a snap of it.

Before and after

Before sending the photo to the website we added the details of the location.

A member of staff then picks up the image and alerts one of the street cleaning teams to it.

The cleaners arrive, soak the spray paint with a solution then blast it off with a power hose.

Before and after photos can be seen on the website

Another snap is taken of the now clean wall, which is posted on the website next to the original, to give a before and after view.

The person who reports the problem can also receive a text to let them know the outcome.

Mr Tyrell said: "It's good for the workers too because people can see what they do, they can see their work."

So the future cleanliness of the borough's streets is, more than ever, in the hands of the people who live there.