A TOWN centre exclusion scheme has resulted in two men being banned from Bacup.

Clean Up Rossendale East (CURE) is an exclusion scheme run by the police in partnership with local traders.

Launched in December, it bans anyone from the town centre caught shoplifting or causing trouble .

The Bacup men, aged 31 and 28, are the first to be excluded and their photographs have been circulated throughout town.

Community beat officer PC Clare Foster said: "Both the police and traders are determined to reduce crime levels in the centre of Bacup.

"CURE is just one of a range of initiatives we are working on to help achieve that aim. Used together with CCTV and the shop radio scheme, we are confident that CURE will help to cut crime and make the town centre an even safer place for people to live, work and shop."

Six shops are currently in the scheme and a further eight have expressed an interest.

PC Foster said: "We are delighted with the response from the town's traders and extremely keen to get more local shops on board.

"Anyone caught committing crime will not only face a 12-month ban, but where appropriate they may also face prosecution too."

Head of policing in Bacup Insp Dave Robinson said: "This is another excellent example of police in Bacup working in partnership with the community. I am looking forward to seeing the scheme extended."