A MAJOR crackdown is being launched to try to rid Burnley of the scourge of beggars.

Town centre bosses and police have teamed up in a bid to tackle the half-a-dozen beggars who, they say, are putting off visitors to the town.

The crackdown will take the form of a poster campaign urging people not to give cash directly to beggars, claiming most of it is used to fund drug habits. Town centre bosses and police say beggars can make between £30-£50 a day in the town centre.

The campaign will also encourage people to donate money only through official channels, like buying the 'Big Issue' magazine, or putting money in donation boxes like the one in the customer service area in the shopping centre.

The posters will be displayed around the town centre and on the community TV screens in places like McDonalds restaurant.

Town Centre manager Lisa Durkin said: "Beggars in the town centre have been a problem for the last five years. There are six or seven regular beggars who are well known to us and are known to have a drug habit. They can make up to £50 a day begging in the town centre -- which is mainly used to fund a drug habit. Some of them are becoming threatening and abusive when asked to move on by the police, or town centre wardens, and they leave dirty needles in town centre toilets. Begging makes shoppers feel uneasy and deters people from shopping in the town."

Chris Gribben, general manager at the Charter Walk Shopping Centre, said: "Burnley town centre is an attractive place to shop and has major improvements planned for the future. We need to clean it up and start tackling these issues if we are to attract the investment the town needs and for it to remain a vibrant centre."

Town centre police officer, PC Michelle Robertson said: "What some members of the public don't realize is that begging is illegal so I would discourage people from giving money to beggars.

"We appreciate that people may think they are helping others out but the fact is that not all beggars are genuine -- some are using the money given to them to fund drug habits. If people really do want to give money to a worthy cause then I would suggest they hand their cash to a registered charity instead."