PRESTON police took the ground-breaking step this week of inviting members of the public on a series of drug raids.

The dawn swoops saw two people from the St Matthew's ward joining the squad, and then watching how suspected drug dealers are investigated.

Leaders of the police team hope the move will let residents of drug-ridden estates see how dealers are treated.

During the raids, three arrests were made in the Ribbleton areas.

Acting Superintendent Graham Gardner, head of the squad, said: "We know from talking to residents that they're fed up to the back teeth with these people."

The raids were the last in a two-day strike across the city, as part of Operation Nimrod. Since April officers have recovered more than £50,000 worth of drugs.

Once in the target addresses the police search for modern drug dealers' most valuable tool -- mobile phones with useful numbers stored in the memory, along with a 'tick list' of customers, evidence of drug use and stolen property.

DI Andy Murphy, who leads the investigation into anybody arrested in the raids, said: "A lot of these drug dealers are using mobile phones.

"Previously you would have a house and you would see lots of people coming and going, but now things have changed."

The two residents who joined the officers cannot be identified, but both were 60 years old.

They were picked by their area's community beat officer.

One said: "We see drug dealing every day and I see a lot of it down the side of my house in an alleyway.

"Only last week we saw someone put a bag down a drain. They were putting it in there for somebody else to come and pick it up.

"We have got a problem on our estate at the moment with drugs and it's a nightmare."

Along with the residents was Councillor Geoff Swarbrick, conservative representative for Preston Rural East and chair of the housing and direct services review board.

He said: "People are offered houses but turn them down, which is understandable when this sort of thing is going on.

"It's very enlightening to see what sort of action the police are taking."