BOBBIES have been placed back on the beat in Blackburn after a six-year absence.

The eight community beat managers started work yesterday with the objective of reassuring the public and solving long-term nuisance problems.

As dedicated officers for their patches, they will rarely be assigned to other jobs.

Shifts will be spent patrolling their communities on foot and developing relationships with residents and they may be given bicycles in the future to move swiftly around.

The police constables have also been set the challenge of finding a base for themselves in part of an existing organisation like a school or community centre in their area.

Hyndburn has had community beat managers for six months. Blackburn's have taken longer to materialise, police said, because it is a larger place which needed more planning.

Their introduction is timely -- police have been urged to return to the streets following the large increase in UK gun crime. In 1997, Lancashire Police's divisions were reorganised and beat bobbies were lost, with the focus placed on providing response to incidents.

Now, at ex-chief constable Pauline Clare's instigation, it has shifted back towards trying to solve problems rather than reacting. Her successor Paul Stephenson is carrying on the campaign.

Other forces in the country have similar 'beat bobby' schemes, but, as it was up to the discretion of individual chief constables, the Home Office could not provide figures.

Chief Inspector Tracey O'Gara, the officer in charge of geographic policing for Eastern Division covering Blackburn, Darwen, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley, said: "The whole concept of community beat managers is fundamental to our intelligence led, problem solving approach.

"At the same time, the officers will provide reassurance to those members of the public who are asking for a visible and dedicated police officer."

Four newly-appointed police community support officers will work alongside the community beat managers.

Sergeant Paul Goodall is co-ordinating both the community beat managers and the PCSOs said: "This is not a new style of policing but a means of providing the public with the type of policing they request and deserve.

"These officers will be dedicated to their area and are expected to be fully involved in community and crime issues."

Insp Phil Cottam, who implemented the four community beat managers in the Accrington area, said: "The feedback we have had is that they have been well received in all the areas. People are now seeing them as a good point of contact for local issues."