CCTV crime-busting cameras will spread through Pendle provided cash can be found to pay for them, Labour councillors have pledged.

Towns such as Colne, Barnoldswick and Barrowford could see the 'spy-in-the-sky' cameras introduced in the next few years following a successful bid for £201,000 of Home Office cash to bring a 12-camera system to Nelson centre. Labour group leader Councillor Azhar Ali, pledged: "We will work to make sure CCTV is not just an issue in Nelson. We want to see it expanded in Brierfield and taken on in Colne and other parts of the borough. We will investigate the need for it and try to find the funding."

Brierfield already has three CCTV cameras, paid for by the town council, which are plugged into the monitoring centre in Burnley. It is hoped Nelson's system will be up and running in the autumn.

Councillor Roy Clarkson said Brierfield's scheme, introduced last year, was already a success. "Older people in Brierfield feel a lot safer because of CCTV," he told a meeting of the full Pendle Council. "People who never went out on dark winter nights are now passing through the town centre because they realise there are eyes in the sky and they feel safe."

Tony Dixon, chairman of Barrowford Parish Council, said: "My personal attitude is that CCTV should have happened in Barrowford years ago.

"If you're looking at a cost per person of having it installed, it's pretty expensive, but Barrowford suffers from crime just like everywhere else. Why should it just be for the larger towns?"

But Liberal Democrat councillor David Whipp said: "As far as Barnoldswick is concerned it's not been an issue on the doorsteps in recent years, it's not been an issue with the traders and it's not been an issue with the town centre forum."

Roger Schofield, chairman of Barnoldswick Town Council, said the issue of CCTV had not been discussed since last May's election. "The last time it was broached was about five years ago when the town council voted 13-1 in favour of it but, of course, we have a new council now. It would be an academic argument at the moment because there's no money for it."

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