POLICE in East Lancashire are to be given advice and help in combating crime by a new on-line guide.

Lancashire Constabulary is one of ten police forces involved in the scheme, which provides information maps, visual guides and initiatives across the country to tackle street robbery.

Centrex, the police service's centre for developing policing excellence, developed the system in collaboration with police services throughout the country, the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Home Office Policing Standards Unit.

Officers will be able to turn to the internet to learn about techniques such as interviewing witnesses and gathering evidence at the crime scene and collecting and storing DNA swabs.

A Lancashire Police spokesman said: "Just as crime is changing daily, so must the means of dealing with it. Paper-based manuals rapidly become out of date and are cumbersome to use and maintain.

"Centrex can ensure policing knowledge maps are right up to date and police services can make them easily available, either at the crime scene itself, in the station office or control room."

Home Office Minister, John Denham said: "Making the most of new technology and using this in a strategic way as part of our fight against crime is a key element of the police reform agenda.

"Policing knowledge maps are a great practical example of police reform in action.

"The maps will give police easy access to up-to-the minute best practice guidance on a whole range of crime fighting issues, beginning with street robbery. "