EIGHT people were arrested by police armed with a camera that automatically informs them if a car is stolen or the driver is banned.

Operation ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Registration) took pictures of 1,400 cars entering rural areas surrounding Darwen from Greater Manchester. The camera, mounted on a police car, reads number plates and automatically flashes up the owner's details.

The three-day operation was a joint project with police from Astley Bridge and was part of the Safer Streets Campaign. Inspector Graham Ashcroft, of Darwen police, said the cars were snapped by a special video camera mounted on a police car.

He said: "We were then able look at information on a particular vehicle, for example whether it was stolen or whether there's certain information about the driver or occupants.

"The whole idea of running it in rural areas was to reassure the rural community and to identify and arrest any offenders from Greater Manchester travelling over the border to commit crimes in our rural regions."

Insp Ashcroft said he was pleased with the operation which took place in Tockholes, Belmont, Turton, Edgworth and Hoddlesden and involved eight double-crew police cars and a number of traffic wardens.

But he also gave a warning to the public in rural areas to be on their guard in the future.

"I'm pleased with the results, but I just want to remind people to take care. Always lock your car, never leave it running while you pop in somewhere and always keep your possessions out of view."

Eight people are being questioned about a number of offences.