EIGHT neighbourhood wardens will be on patrol on estate streets in Burnley by the summer.

Their job will be to help build up community spirit and cut down on anti-social behaviour.

The scheme will have government funding of £500,000 over six years and should be up and running by July 1.

The project will start in the Coal Clough, Barclay and Burnley Wood areas and hopefully later extended to include the old Barclay, Calder, Daneshouse and Trinity wards.

Community development manager Mike Waite told members of the recreation and leisure committee that the wardens would be involved in a mixture of roles such as street patrols, project work, often in partnership with other agencies, providing support to community groups and residents organisations, supporting individuals and liaising between various groups. There would be a particular focus in the work of community safety, anti-social behaviour and monitoring environmental issues.

He stressed that staff would not be "second-tier" policing although there would be links with them and a wide range of other agencies.

Councillors welcomed the scheme with comments that it ought to be extended to cover areas such as Padiham and Briercliffe.