A VILLAGE group is calling time called on street drinking -- and wants prosecutions for shops serving underage juveniles.

Members of the Golborne Community Forum believe this is one reason why crime and vandalism is on the increase.

And they have asked the police and councillors to help make the neighbourhood a no-go area for troublemakers.

But the group is also aiming to help the young people of the area, who are deprived of facilities where they can meet without harrassment.

Two months ago business people and residents fed up with unruly activity in the district banded together to form an action group.

Since then they have had three successful public meetings, the last at Golborne Catholic Club on Monday when sub committee groups, formed to meet police, councillors and the Coalfield Challenge, reported progress made on crime and vandalism, the town square and youth facilities.

The meeting heard that a further get-together has been called for September with police chiefs and councillors to discuss the drinking issues.

Environmental matters were also discussed -- including a call for the reopening of the railway station.

New town centre co-ordinator, Laurie Barton, cheered members with plans to raise the profile of Golborne, and the group agreed to join the Unity Partnership, which takes in community groups from Platt Bridge, Higher Folds and Leigh.

A spokesman said: "This will help us pool our ideas and expertise.

"Golborne has been left to decline over the years, crime and vandalism has increased and we are sick of it.

"The trouble is that the people seem to have given up.

"The council is developing a new walled area in the town centre which will have seats and shrubs and trees. We want it to be the focus of the village.

"But people are so disillusioned they just believe that as soon as it is completed and the protective fences are pulled down it will be wrecked by vandals.

"This is not the way it should be.

"We want to see Golborne improved and we must work together to see that it is.

"A good start would be to see the end to drinking on the streets and we are working towards that.

"We want to restore the confidence in this community by stopping problems before they happen.

"People are sick and tired of crime, but live in fear of reporting it in case of retaliation.

"We decided that if we got together as a community we could have more effect.

"We would like to make Golborne an example to the rest of Wigan Metro, and working together we hope we can do it.

"We of course want to help the youngsters get proper facilities. They are very deprived in this respect.

"There were plans and money in place to create a BMX tracks and teen meeting places on The Bonk, but there has been some objection to this. This is the subject of another meeting.

"It is only a minority who create trouble -- we want to do something to help the teenagers. After all they are the community of tomorrow."