BURNLEY and Pendle are to be specially targeted in a government crackdown on people who drink too much.

The two boroughs have been picked out as among the six worst areas for alcohol problems in the North West along with inner city Salford and Manchester as well as Blackpool.

Under the new initiative drinkers could be hit with fines of £2,500 if they are caught boozing in alcohol exclusion zones and a ‘two strikes’ rule could be enforced if off licenses are found selling alcohol to children more than once in three months.

They will now see £1.5million invested in projects to improve the situation that sees Burnley and Pendle with extremely high mortality rates for alcohol related deaths.

The Home Office yesterday announced that minimum drinks prices could be introduced in a bid to tackle irresponsible alcohol retail practices. And bans on ‘two for one’ and ‘ladies drink free’ promotions could also be imposed.

Health chiefs and council bosses said they were ‘delighted’ that cash has been set aside for a police crackdown on alcohol fuelled crime.

Work will now take place in the boroughs to bolster the ability to tackle underage alcohol sales, confiscate alcohol from under 18s and run health campaigns.

Licensing officer, PC Chris Storey, said: "Anything that gets put in place to combat the problems related to alcohol is welcome.

"However, it's not legislation we need, it's education. There is already legislation in place to combat these problems but it's a case of using it effectively."

Gordon Birtwistle, leader of Burnley Council, said: "We have been pushing for this for a long time.

"We are delighted this has now come about and we welcome any initiative that tackles what is one of the biggest problems we are facing in Burnley at this present time.

"Those people who sell drink for next to nothing are the main offenders in our town."

In August NHS East Lancashire launched an ongoing campaign to save one million years of life after figures revealed men and women in Burnley and Padiham are drinking themselves to death.

On average men die more than 15 months earlier in Burnley than elsewhere - the fifth worst location nationwide - according to the figures from the North West Public Health Observatory (NWPHO).

And the death rate from chronic liver disease among men has worsened marginally from 2007 to 2008, with the borough now fourth worst in England.

The figures show that 60 deaths in every 100,000 are attributable to alcohol and booze-related hospital admission rates for under 19s, men and women are among the most significant in the UK.

Nearly 320 people in Burnley and Padiham claim incapacity benefit because of alcoholism, the sixth worst area in England.

The borough also rates in the worst fifth of areas for alcohol-related violent and sexual crimes, according to the statistics.

One hundred and eighty four people in Pendle are claiming sickness benefit because of their drink problems and 98 youngsters have turned up at either Burnley General or the Royal Blackburn hospitals’ admission wards because of conditions linked to boozing.

Dr Ruth Hussey, North West Director of Public Health, said: “Alcohol misuse in the North West costs the NHS around £400 million annually. Irresponsible promotions fuel the amount that people drink and it is right that these are tackled.”

Gail Porter, Home Office Regional Deputy Director, said 73,000 crimes a year in the region are linked to alcohol. She added: “The North West’s Big Drink Debate showed that nearly 50 per cent of people avoided town centres at night because of drunken behaviour by others.

“The new measures are a welcome move, and they will provide people in the North West with enhanced protection from the effects of alcohol fuelled crime and disorder.”