PANIC alarms are to be fitted at a crime-plagued station in a bid to make passengers feel safe.

But today the area's county councillor said people would only feel safe if the station was staffed after it was condemned as one of the most intimidating of its kind in North West.

Lancashire County Council is to spend £10,000 to help First North Western Trains turn Ramsgreave and Wilpshire, on the outskirts of Blackburn, into a ground-breaking 'crime free' station -- the first in the county to have panic alarms on platforms which are connected to the police.

New measures at the station will also include creating better-lit routes onto the platforms, more lights on the station to create a secure waiting area in the evening.

People pressing the panic buttons will alert CCTV operators who will contact police if the situation is serious enough.

But Ribble Valley county councillor Chris Holtom said: "I really do think things will only improve when they start staffing the stations. From Bolton to Clitheroe, just one station is manned. And even then, Blackburn only has the odd person at the ticket desk."

A study undertaken by crime prevention charity Crime Concern along the Manchester Victoria to Clitheroe line revealed that Ramsgreave and Wilpshire was the most problematic and intimidating unmanned station.

Crimes recorded at the station by the group included vandalism, graffiti, intimidation of passengers by youngsters and other anti-social behaviour.

Although transport police have only been called to the site 11 times in the past year, Clitheroe police inspector Bob Ford today admitted the station, along with one in Whalley, was a 'major cause for concern.'

The station is in a semi rural location and is not overlooked, despite being close to houses, creating a haven for vandals and criminals.

Crime Concern chose the line for the study, run in conjunction with local authorities and train operators, because it comprised of a mixture of railway stations, ranging from big city sites to smaller, unmanned stops like Ramsgreave and Wilpshire.

Stations in East Lancashire along the route also include Whalley, Langho, Blackburn, Darwen and Entwistle. Bolton and Manchester Victoria were also studied.

A County Hall spokesman said: "We will be monitoring the situation to see how things improve as a result of measures including panic alarms.

"If it works, it could be expanded to other stations."

A spokesmanfor First North Western, which operates the train services through the Ribble Valley and will run the scheme, confirmed Ramsgreave and Wilpshire would be the first unmanned station in the county to get the measures.

Some stations in Cumbria already have the system because of their isolated locations.

He said: "The secure-station pilot scheme will see CCTV being introduced at the station, new help-points to give customers information and advice, vegetation will be cut back and signage will be improved."

David Baxter, First North Western's route manager for the Clitheroe line, said: "Vandalism is a problem at many stations, especially unstaffed ones like this one."

Insp Bob Ford, of Clitheroe Police, said: "I think a lot of crimes aren't reported and I also think a lot of it is perception of safety. At the moment, it doesn't feel safe."

Last year, a survey for Hyndburn Council said more than 66 per cent of people living in the borough would not use trains because they did not feel stations were safe.

The council is continuing to work with First North Western to improve safety at its stations, the worst of which, Accrington, has been the location for several attacks in the past year.