A PIONEERING scheme to reunite lost children with their parents and protect them from abduction will be launched next month.

Safechild, an initiative to minimise the risk for youngsters who get separated from parents will run in and around the Charter Walk Shopping Centre.

The Burnley scheme, supported by the NSPCC, is only the third of its kind in the country.

Town centre businesses, led by general manager of Charter Walk Chris Gribben, are backing the scheme which could spread to the whole town centre in the New Year.

Mr Gribben worked for the company which owned the shopping centre in Bootle where toddler Jamie Bulger was abducted in 1993. The youngster was later murdered by Jon Venables and Robert Thompson.

Mr Gribben called for businesses to back the project at a meeting of the town centre partnership yesterday

The shopping centre is paying for the leaflets which will outline the scheme to retailers, parents and children.

He said: "The abduction and murder of Jamie Bulger was 12 years ago, but is still very fresh in peoples' minds. This scheme is about educating retailers, parents and children because they cannot be contained in an open scheme like Charter Walk.

"The main thing I am looking for is the support of retailers."

The scheme, which should be launched in mid November, is likely to cost around £10,000 and will be promoted through schools, the community and town centre wardens and the town centre community TV screens.