DRINKERS in Rawtenstall are to get their last orders after councillors voted to ban drinking on the streets.

Rossendale Council corporate policy committee heard figures for alcohol-related offences before deciding Rawtenstall should be the site of the borough's first ban on alcohol consumption in public places.

The market, war memorial gardens, and bus station are to be included in the booze-free zone, which could be in place within weeks.

A trial period is likely to be established to monitor crime figures in the town centre to see if the zone is successful in cutting the number of incidents.

The committee also resolved that similar zones should be established in Haslingden and Bacup town centres "as soon as practicably possible".

Rawtenstall was selected to spearhead the ban after a report from the community safety strategy officer revealed 228 alcohol-related incidents in Rawtenstall town centre, compared to 112 in Haslingden and 18 in Bacup.

Coun Graham Pearson, chairman of the committee, voted in favour of the ban.

He said: "This is a trial that will enable the police to be more pro-active.

"During the summer months you see people buying their drinks from off-licences then drinking it in the precinct, and in other places. It can be very intimidating to see.

"It really isn't something we want to condone and hopefully this ban will make people feel safer. It's not just about crime, but also the fear of crime.

"I hope the ban will be in place very soon, certainly within weeks."