Over £400,000 of funding has been secured by the council to help make the streets safer.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has secured £432,000 from the Safer Streets Fund, which will pay for projects to crack down on crimes like burglary, vehicle theft and robbery, for example by increasing street lighting and CCTV.

The money comes as part of an £18.3million pledge made by the Government to 40 areas of England and Wales in a bid to make the areas feel safer.

In Blackburn, the money will be concentrated in Whalley Banks and Wensley Fold to assist in crime prevention methods.

Strategic Director for Adult Services and Health in the council, Sayyed Osman said: “The council is delighted to have received this funding support for targeted improvement works.

“The areas that meet the criteria for this funding are Whalley Banks and Wensley Fold area.

“This sum will also help with crime prevention, improving the feeling of security, environmental improvements, better lighting and CCTV.

“The fund will be delivered over the next 12 months.”

MP for Blackburn with Darwen, Kate Hollern said: “The additional funding for security cameras is welcome and goes some way to keeping our streets safe.

“What we need now is more police on our streets. The Government must stick to its promise to recruit 20,000 police officers by 2023 and ensure that Lancashire gets its fair share of new recruits.”

Last year, the previous police and crime commissioner Clive Grunshaw secured £700,000 from the Government’s safe streets fund, over £500,000 of which was spent in Burnley.

The money which Burnley was granted was used in the same way - paying for street lights, CCTV and secure gates.

At the same time, funding was also granted to improve crime prevention in Birchgreen, Skelmersdale.

Minister for Safeguarding Victoria Atkins said: “No one should feel afraid while walking the streets, yet for so many people, particularly women and girls, a background hum of feeling uncomfortable or even unsafe in public spaces has become an all too common occurrence.

“We want this fund to help the police and local councils ensure that our streets are safe for everyone.”

The third round of the fund has opened, allowing authorities another chance to bid for a further £25 million for 2021/22 which will focus on projects to help women and girls feel safer on the streets.