CASH recouped from the sale of drug dealers' ill-gotten gains could be go into fighting crime in the Rossendale Valley.

A bid has been made for £100,000-worth of 'reclaimed assets' money -- cash which the Government holds from the sale of property bought by drug dealers which is seized by police -- to help fund a CCTV system for Rawtenstall.

Already Bacup and Haslingden have comprehensive CCTV systems and there are a further five cameras being introduced along Newchurch Road through Stacksteads.

Pennine crime reduction officer PC Dave Sykes said: "The money is earmarked for CCTV systems in areas that have not been successful in previous bids and we think that Rawtenstall fits the criteria.

"The bid has gone into Government and we should find out in late June early July if we have been successful.

"What we also want to do is have a radio link with the CCTV systems. We have shop radio systems in Haslingden and Bacup and we are also looking to extend it into businesses in Rawtenstall and the pubs and clubs involved in the pub watch scheme."

Shopkeepers in Rawtenstall have been pleading for a CCTV system for many years because the neighbouring towns all have cameras and PC Sykes said the chamber of commerce was behind the police bid.

President of Rawtenstall Chamber of Commerce Debbie Greenwood welcomed the bid saying: "Rawtenstall is a sitting target for criminals because there are cameras all around in neighbouring towns."

Rossendale Council has made previous applications for cash for security cameras but all have been rejected. In Bacup an anonymous businessman put forward the money for system and in Haslingden Action for Haslingden funded the cameras.

A further application for £26,000 has been made by Sgt Colin Hudson from Rossendale West to fund youth schemes.

He said: "We have some schemes to break down the boredom of summer for local youngsters and if we are successful we would be hoping to expand this scheme."