POLICE have moved to allay fears that a town's schoolchildren are being targeted by drug dealers.

As members of a drug gang was sentenced at Preston Crown Court last week to a total of 43 years in jail it emerged they sold class A and B drugs to teens in Darwen, some wearing school uniform.

But Det Sgt Ian Critchley has assured parents that police are gradually disrupting the town's dealers with a new campaign.

In the past month, with the Safe Streets in Lancashire Initiative, Darwen police have executed seven drugs warrants, arrested 16 people and recovered £26,000 of amphetamines, heroin and cannabis as well as around £30,000 in cash.

A headteacher at one of Darwen's secondary schools praised the police for this action and the reassurance it would give to parents worried by drugs.

DS Critchley, of Darwen CID, said Darwen had similar problems to many other towns, but that drugs were not extraordinarily rife there.

"People who deal in drugs are indifferent to who they are selling them to and a £5 or £10 is the same from a child as an adult," he said. "They are concerned with making money for themselves.

"We hope the sentences given recently will put others off, but we are under no illusions that people will replace people who have been jailed.

"However we will disrupt their activities and that is what we intend to do throughout Darwen.

"So far we have been successful in the town, but we need the continuing help of the public."

Police used intelligence from the public, as well as undercover officers and video and audio surveillance, to smash the gang jailed last week.

Heroin, amphetamines and cannabis were distributed from a mechanics' garage at an industrial premise at the Red Star unit in Hutchinson Street, Darwen. It grew into one of the town's biggest drug suppliers.

The gang's leader, Sergio Posteraro, 39, of Anchor Avenue, Darwen, was given 10 years in jail, and nine men and one woman were also sentenced to substantial jail terms.

Richard Bridges, the headteacher of Darwen Moorland High School, said the punishment had "sent the message out hard and strong which most parents will be really pleased to hear".

He added: "We have a really good relationship with the police. We say to all parents that if we have anybody around the site we always involve the police."