DRINKERS who cause trouble could soon find themselves barred from more than 50 pubs across Hyndburn.

Landlords of pubs from Clayton-le-Moors and Rishton have been invited to set up Pubwatch schemes to supplement those in Accrington, Great Harwood and Oswaldtwistle.

They will meet members of the three schemes on Monday to discuss the plans. Accrington's scheme was set up in December 2001, with Great Harwood and Oswaldtwistle following in March and June this year respectively.

PC Les Sholicar, Accrington's licensing officer, said more than 50 pubs would be in schemes when the two new schemes start in the next two months.

"We are going to have five schemes in the borough and amalgamate them all so if people are barred by one scheme they are barred from all the schemes. That will be more than 50 pubs.

"Everybody in Pubwatch says there has been a marked improvement in and around their premises as a result of the schemes."

Landlords share information about troublemakers and telephone each other to warn about rowdy drinkers.

Some 50 people had been barred under the Accrington town centre scheme, although some had subsequently been allowed back in the pubs once their 12-month ban had ended, he said.

Angela Calvert, manager of Churchills, in Cannon Street, Accrington, is a member of the Accrington scheme.

She said: "It's definitely working, it's made a tremendous difference. What we found is when Accrington started its Pubwatch scheme you tended to get the people that were banned going to Oswaldtwistle and the surrounding areas.

"Then they set up a scheme in Oswaldtwistle so it's moving them out all together. It makes it safer for people to go into town."

Mick Davis, of the Cross Axes, Church Street, Great Harwood, said: "Around six people have been barred under the Great Harwood scheme.

"Some of them have a month or three-month probationary period and if they misbehave during that time they get a 12-month ban.

"It's absolutely brilliant the difference it's made in the town. About 90 per cent of the troublemakers have been weeded out, and all the would-be bother-makers think twice now because they know if they are barred in one they get barred all around.

"There are not that many who have been completely barred but it's fired a warning shot across the bows."