A SWEET shop which has served chocolate to children for more than a decade has come to a sticky end because of vandalism and rising costs.

Coun Brian Roberts has run Toffees, in Union Road, Oswaldtwistle, since 1993, but he was forced to close his last bag of pear drops after vandals caused £2,000 worth of damage.

He said: "It's getting much worse. We need CCTV for the area or a larger police presence."

The incident happened one Saturday night six weeks ago when youths broke four windows in the shop front and tried to break in the following night.

The vandalism was one in a long list of attacks on shops that have left small business owners like Coun Roberts facing bills of thousands of pounds.

The appeal follows a similar one made by councillors Sandra and Doug Hayes in January when five shop windows were smashed that month and several over the festive period.

The sweet shop and general grocer closed at 1pm yesterday leaving five people without jobs.

Coun Roberts, said he was sad to close but he was left with no other choice.

"Its really sad. One or two of the staff, who have been here for a while, have been in tears.

"I was going to give up my full-time job and pass my retirement here, now I can't."

"A lot of my neighbours and other shops in the town have also been subjected to vandalism and it's getting worse.

"We need CCTV for the bottom of New Lane where it meets Union Road, or more police to stop this sort of thing happening.

"I've mentioned this before, but I've been told that there isn't enough money in the budget.

"I'll be bringing it up at the area council meeting at the Civic Theatre."

The councillor for St Andrew's ward, in Oswaldtwistle, was joined in his appeal by Jean Lockwood, councillor for Immanuel ward.

"We need the CCTV camera. Tony Blair is too busy sorting other people's problems, there's enough in his own backyard.

"Every week I hear of trouble in Oswaldtwistle, elderly people are too scared to go out of the homes, it's being turned into a ghost town.

"We have to get some grants for the CCTV, and we are looking into that."

Jean Battle, deputy leader of Hyndburn Council, said: "I suppose they can request a grant like everybody else.

"CCTV is a deterrent but the police must be aware of the problems and whether it is a hot spot."