CRIME-BUSTERS are preparing to put community safety wardens on the streets of Blackburn as part of a pilot scheme for the whole borough.

Livesey and Pleasington parish councils are to bid for government funds to introduce the uniformed community wardens to local troublespots.

Government advisor Susan King travelled from London to speak to residents, police and council bosses and told them cash was available for successful bids and advised them how to apply.

Mayor Coun John Williams, a Tory member for Livesey with Pleasington ward on Blackburn with Darwen Council said community representatives would now explore how best to set up their bid for a government grant.

Last May Prime Minister Tony Blair announced that £25 million would be available to fund neighbourhood wardens. Ms King said they were inviting bids and a decision on funding would be made in October.

Although not widely recognised as a high crime area, Livesey and Pleasington has recently experienced children terrorising residents of flats in Livesey, a mugging in Pleasington, a bus driver attacked in Feniscowles, children throwing stones across the canal at greenhouses and a stabbing in Meadowhead. A neighbourhood warden scheme in Hyndburn slashed town centre crime and cut vandalism, but was axed three years ago because of lack of funding.

Derek Hardman, chairman of Livesey Parish Council said: "We are hoping the borough council will take it forward. The police say it is not a high crime area but we suffer a lot with juvenile nuisance and dog fouling and we feel the warden scheme would be ideal for problems like these.

"The police haven't got enough man power to deal with things like this and the wardens would be able to patrol the area and report any incidents. "It will act as a community deterrent from juvenile nuisance and from the figures we were shown from similar schemes in other areas it does seem to make a difference.

"It would also give an increased presence on the street and reassure people there is somebody out there keeping an eye on things." One elderly resident of Preston Old Road, who did not want to be named, said she was often frightened of going to sleep at night, fearing she will be targeted by thieves.

She said: "Anything that can help reduce crime would be most welcomed. We have a lot of kids round here that play out at night and I don't think they realise how much they scare us old folk. The wardens could make a real difference."

Ms King said: "The wardens would be the eyes and ears for the police.

"They would be looking for low-level nuisance . . . kids hanging around, that sort of thing. But they could also do things like escorting elderly people to shops."

Coun Williams said he hoped the introduction of wardens would act as a pilot scheme for the whole borough.

"This is very important. These people will act as a link between the police and the public."

Ms King, who is head of the Neighbourhood Warden Unit within the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions, said if the bid was successful, the money would become available in December or January. Two hundred schemes are already running in England and Wales.

Foreign Secretary and Blackburn MP Jack Straw said: "I strongly support the principle of neighbourhood wardens. Where they should be used is a matter for negotiation between the unit, the local authority and local people. I think they could be good news for Blackburn."

Chief Superintendent John Thompson, Divisional Commander for East Lancashire, welcomed the moves. He said: "Lancashire Constabulary supports street wardens. We always have done."