CHURCH chiefs in Lancashire are to pioneer a £1.4 million project aimed at reducing crime.

Home Office funding will finance a three year pilot scheme to offer support to prisoners and their families in four prisons.

It will see 14 new Church of England staff will recruit almost 300 volunteers to build partnerships with Kirkham, Wymott, Lancaster Castle and Preston prisons.

"There are a number of church-led projects working in prisons, but this one is unique because it starts working from day one of the sentence and supports prisoners and their families both 'through the gate' and in the home and local community," says Peter Now-land, family life projects manager for the church's Blackburn Diocese.

It is also the largest, in financial terms, to be handled by the Diocesan Board for Social Responsibility, which oversees the Church of England's social policy and provision.

The project is expected to be rolled out over the next two months in East Lancashire with 'family days' for offenders and their families while prisoners are still serving sentences.

"Volunteers, who we hope will be people from denominations and members of other faith groups, will also provide support in the home," says Mr Nowland.

"It will enable the family to be able to address issues which can lead to breakdown and return an offender to habits which lead to a return to prison."

Initial targets plan for work with 75 prisoners a week.