TELEVISION cameras could soon be rolling in Darwen town centre soon in a bid to beat thieves and vandals.

Blackburn Council has joined with Lancashire Police to bid for almost £88,000 of government cash towards a £341,000 scheme for a 24-hour closed circuit television monitoring system to protect shoppers and evening visitors.

It would mirror the existing scheme in Blackburn, which is funded by the council, City Challenge and the Safer Cities crime prevention programme.

The council hopes Blackburn Shopping Centre owners Standard Life will agree to monitor the Darwen scheme via a link to the existing monitoring suite in Blackburn. The bid would provide three cameras as well as monitoring equipment at Darwen Police station and the link with Blackburn.

Coun Sue Reid, chairman of the council's urban regeneration sub-committee, said: "Living not far form Darwen town centre myself, I am fully aware to the crime and vandalism that takes place on a regular basis.

"If we can get the bid accepted by the Home Office, it can only make the town safer and enhance the work the police are already doing."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.