POLICE have insisted they will be able to cope with next summer's controversial festival in Blackburn town centre.

Blackburn with Darwen Council chiefs have merged the annual out-of-town Mela cultural festival with the Arts in the Park music event to create a "community arts festival", to be held over the August bank holiday.

Chief Superintendent Dave Mallaby, who is the commander for Lancashire Police Eastern Division, said more officers would probably be needed to police the town-centre festival than were used for the two Witton Park-based events, which would involve an increased cost to the force.

But he said that although officers would have preferred a different date, the force had not objected to the council's plans.

He said: "We did express a view that the Bank Holiday weekend could clash with a significant Blackburn Rovers match. It wouldn't have been one of our preferred dates, but that doesn't mean it isn't manageable.

"We know events like this do take place in town and city centres, and it's do-able."It probably will involve more officers, and the cost goes up but again it's not a show-stopper from our point of view.

"We are quite capable of adapting the police operation to the event we are covering.

"We know that alcohol can influence behaviour, and we would put appropriate plans into place."

The council leaders believe the new event would promote community cohesion.

But as well as safety concerns, critics have claimed there was not enough consultation on the plans to axe the Mela and Arts in the Park and said that the new event would just be an excuse for people to drink heavily.

But Mr Mallaby said the police had been involved in the drawing up of the scheme.