A DARWEN florist is calling for more bobbies on the beat and says crime in the town has never been so bad.

Kathleen Reece has run Hodkinsons Florist on Duckworth Street for the past 30 years and says during the past two months her shop has been subjected to constant thefts.

Her calls come as Darwen Police launch a high visibility approach in the St James area of the town to crack down on rising crime.

Mrs Reece, 54, says goods have been taken every day from outside her shop and she has had to put a security camera in place to try and deter the thieves.

She said: "They take plants and anything they can sell -- it's open warfare.

"There's no policing and the response time when you do call the police is half an hour to an hour. That's no good as it's all over and done with by then."

Mrs Reece says that bobbies on the beat would serve as a deterrent and that although there were CCTV cameras in the town centre they should also be put on Duckworth Street as it was one of the busiest parts of Darwen.

She said: "I am trying to get more bobbies on the beat so we feel safe for Christmas, it does make a difference if they are seen and I have been in touch with Sudell councillor Paul Browne who says he agrees with me on this -- last Christmas we had two bobbies on the beat as well as mounted police."

Coun Browne said: "People are coming to me and asking where are the police?

"It's ridiculous to say they are under-resourced, this government said more money would be put into policing but the town centre bobby has gone and I can't see the reason for that, they can only cut so far, crime is going to rocket through the roof -- someone wants to look at this properly, I do feel strongly about this."

Mrs Reece has been so concerned by the situation she has written to the Divisional Commander of the Lancashire constabulary, John Thompson telling him that she does not blame the police in any way for the situation but believes it is the lack of resources which is to blame.

Mr Thompson replied saying he 'operated to a 'shrinking budget' and the only way he could increase staff at Darwen would be to take them from elsewhere Insp Graham Ashcroft said an officer had been to Mrs Reece's shop to give crime prevention advice and added that they were looking to shopkeepers and the public to take responsibility to prevent crime themselves.

He added that generally over the last five years crime had come down but there had been an increase in the last 12 months.

He added: "We are very sympathetic to Mrs Reece's cause and have police officers patrolling the town centre and the estates 24 hours a day.

"Everybody has to take responsibility for crime prevention -- as a police officer I have to be responsible for my car and home and everybody has to do the same and think about crime issues."

Sgt Andrea Bradbury of Darwen police said: "We try wherever possible to have a visible foot patrol but it is not always possible to maintain although the town centre is a priority but crime in Darwen is down overall.

"It is very difficult when property is left on the pavement as it takes seconds to run off with something."