LICENSEES and police in Colne will work together on a pub watch scheme to ban troublemakers from town centre premises.

Colne Against Night-time Disorder -- or CAND as it will be known -- is a similar scheme to those run in Burnley and Barnoldswick, in which pubs and nightclubs in the town will meet on a regular basis to discuss customers who they believe should be banned from all the venues involved. Those participating in the pub watch scheme are The Shepherds Arms, The Derby Arms, Zebras Nightclub, Tower Bar nightclub, The Commercial, Union Exchange, Red Lion, Jolly Hatters and The Crown Hotel.

The police approached the licensees about the scheme after speaking to officers who set up Burnley Against Night-time Disorder and hearing how successful it was.

Sergeant David Burns said: "We don't have a big problem with violent disorder in Colne, so this is more a preventative measure to deter people from acts of violence, criminal damage and the use of drugs. It can run in conjunction with the Rhythm and Blues Festival and the new CCTV system. Hopefully other pubs will join in if it is seen to be successful."

The pub watch committee will meet regularly and if they decide they want to ban someone they will contact the police for an exclusion order, which could be for three, six or 12 months. There is a right of appeal to an order.

Geoff Pidd, owner of Zebras, said: "It's aimed at serious troublemakers as it is intended that we will continue to use our own discretion at other times. There is an element in the town who affect us all and that is who we are aiming at."

Home Office Minister John Denham visited Colne on Thursday to see where proposed CCTV cameras will be installed.