POLICE are encouraging residents to join their e-mail information line in a bid to crack down on criminals.

The scheme, which has been running for two months, is to be expanded from Monday.

Community leaders in Clayton-le-Moors, Great Harwood and Rishton, are already taking part in the scheme to create a two-way flow of information.

Now officers want other residents to get involved so they can send and receive up-to-the minute details about criminal activity in the area.

"We aim to increase liaison with the public for exchange of information and intelligence," said PC Mark Skellorn, one of three community beat managers who will oversee the scheme.

"We have got e-mail up and running and have a few people who have access to it at the moment, but we need more people to get on board with it.

"It's to supplement what we put in the newspapers, particularly if we want to get information out extremely quickly, so within an hour of spotting something someone on the mailing list might be able to give us information."

The system will be used to highlight crime trends and community issues and anyone who has access to the Internet can join.

Officers will create several mailing lists, including one for each of the three towns and one for the whole area so area specific information can be transmitted at the touch of a button.

"It's not going to be just a general information tool where we send the crime figures out," said PC Skellorn.

"The kind of information we would be sending people includes things like bogus officials operating in the area, hook and key burglaries, down to an area being targeted for petty crimes.

"We won't say an area has had so many burglaries and crimes this month.

"They may get an e-mail a week saying please watch out for this or that. It's going to be very specific. We want people to contact us."

The scheme is similar to one launched by Accrington Police in January.

Anyone interested in joining should contact the community beat managers PC Mark Skellorn, Rishton, 01254 353117; PC Helen Jackson, Great Harwood, 353118; and PC Jason Manning, Clayton-le-Moors, 353119, and leave name, address and contact details.