POLICE knocked on every door on a Blackburn estate in a bid for information to help them crackdown on the teen thugs who have blighted the area.

The move at the Fishmoor estate followed the high-profile arrest of six boys in Blackburn l ast week.

Inspector Mick Laraway explained: "Rather than wait for them to come to us with information, we thought we would go to them.

"Ninety-five per cent of people in the area cause no problems. But there is a hardcore minority of 12 making life hard work for others and we will not let them continue doing it."

He said the exercise had proved very valuable in gathering intelligence which will be used to continue the crackdown on youngsters' yobbish behaviour.

And information was also given about drug dealing in the area which police said will be acted on.

Beat bobbies, officers from the road policing unit and police horses were used in the operation.

Mr Laraway added: "We have been knocking on everybody's doors and shops and stopping people in the street.

"People are sometimes reluctant to pass information on for a variety of reasons.

"We wanted to encourage them to do so by reassuring them that they don't have to give their name and that it is very important to help us build up a picture of what is happening."

Mr Laraway said that the teenage gangs had been quiet since the arrests last week.

Additional police patrols have been put on in the evenings to deter any trouble.

They have also been given, for the first time in Blackburn, the power to fine those aged over 16 up to £80 for anti-social behaviour such as drinking on the street.

But officers have not had to issue the penalties yet.

Mr Laraway added: "The patrols have been going well. Things have certainly quietened down. I spoke to a shopkeeper who said the youths have been very subdued since the operation last week.

"I must have spoken to 20 people and they all said 'thank you very much' for what we did."

Two 16-year-old boys arrested last week were charged with burglary. One was released without charge and the rest were sent home on bail.