POLICE in Great Harwood are to step up the fight against criminal damage.

Inspector John O'Reilly, the town's top police officer, has admitted levels of criminal damage in the area are high.

And he told a meeting of the Great Harwood Area Council, packed with members of the public and community leaders, that his officers would be making a push to stamp out the crime.

He said: "One of the biggest pushes we need to make is to reduce criminal damage.

"I can only ask you to be vigilant about how you deal with your own property. Leaving rubbish or building materials at the front of the house just attracts people who want to pick it up and throw it somewhere.

"And if you have the facility to turn your car wing mirrors in, please do. Don't park on the footpath because people could kick your door off."

But Insp O'Reilly admitted the police could not cut crime levels unless members of the public helped to report the incidents in the first place.

He said: "It's about reporting it to us. We detect more crime when people have contacted us within the first few minutes of it happening. If we don't get a call until the following day it's very difficult to detect. People must report noises to us."