A LANDLORD who closed his pub and called police when a fight broke out today welcomed a new pub watch scheme which aims to wipe out trouble in the town.

Keith Thompson, of The Lord Nelson, Manchester Road, said he was looking forward to working with other licensees in Nelson and the police as part of the new initiative.

Nelson and Barrowford Pub Watch will be launched on Tuesday at the Station Public House, Nelson.

Town centre pubs already signed up for the scheme include The Trafalgar, Clayton Arms, Bridge Inn at Barrowford, The Bull and the Goodnite Club.

Under the crime prevention project, landlords will meet regularly to share information with each other and the police in the hope of detering potential troublemakers and reducing the risk of drink-related criminality.

They will also ensure that those who commit assaults or are involved with drugs on licensed premises are banned from every pub involved in the scheme for a possible 12 months.

The scheme is similar to that launched in Colne and West Craven last year.

Mr Thompson said: "We have just got fed up with these thugs coming in and causing trouble. We want to be able to say that if they don't behave they won't be allowed in. I had some trouble on Sunday which was a bit of feud that had been going on for a while. A big gang then walked off towards another pub so I rang them to warn them.

"You will get these isolated incidents in town centre pubs but we are hoping this scheme will make an example of a few of the troublemakers and stop others getting involved. Everyone knows who the people are that continually cause trouble and eventually we expect to be part of the town centre radio scheme so that we can let other pubs know if there's someone heading towards them.

"This is not about personality clashes between landlord and punters. It's about violence to staff and other customers or drug dealing."

Each of the licensed premises will get posters publicising their involvement in the scheme.

Whitefield Community Beat Manager, PC David Smith, said: "There are a number of pub watch schemes already up and running in Pennine Division and they are proving to be successful.

"With the support we have had to date from local licensees I see no reason why this new pub watch scheme can't be equally successful."