A CLEVER new weapon is helping police be on guard for any terrorist threat in Lancashire.

The full power of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) has been revealed following a groundbreaking week-long initiative.

Two cameras mounted on patrol cars automatically check vehicle registrations against police intelligence databases, beeping to tell the officer if something suspicious is found.

Police can then pursue the vehicle, which may have otherwise passed them unawares. The equipment is commonly used to identify local criminals using road networks, but is also being helping identify any possible threats from terrorists.

The effectiveness of the technology has been tested over the past week as Lancashire linked up with the five other North West forces to share intelligence databases.

It was the region's first joint operation and police say it was a huge success.

ANPR was used on motorways and A roads to read almost 250,000 number plates. It found about 5,000 suspicious vehicles which resulted in 106 arrests.

Class A drugs, including crack cocaine, heroin and ecstasy, were recovered.

Lancashire accounted for around 100,000 checks, 2,232 suspicious vehicles and 40 arrests.

Checks were carried out in Blackburn and Accrington town centres, Burnley's Colne Road and Rossendale Road and the M65.

Det Supt Ian Jones declined to reveal whether anyone had been arrested for terrorism-related offences but added: "Terrorism is potentially a real threat to all the country. It is not a particular threat in the region but we must be aware of it.

"Criminals and terrorists are becoming increasingly more sophisticated in their activities.

"With all the forces in the region working together, we aim to deny them use of our roads.

"People who do not break the law have nothing to fear from the system.

"We hope this operation reassures people living, working and using the roads in the North West that the police are serious about targeting criminals and preventing crime and the threat of terrorism."

ANPR costs around £5,000 and Lancashire police have a number of them in the Pennine and Eastern divisions. One of the cameras is infra-red to work at night.

Officers access intelligence via a keyboard and monitor on the dash board.