A FOUR-WEEK course for people who want to help victims of crime will start on September 6 at Hyndburn and Rossendale branch of Victim Support on St James Street, Accrington.

The course, open to men and women of all ages and ethnic groups, runs from 7pm to 9.30pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays and 10am to 3.30pm on Saturdays .

The volunteers will be trained to understand the emotional effects of crime, how the criminal justice system works and practical information about crime prevention, insurance and compensation.

A spokesman for Victim support said: "Volunteers need to be patient, non-judgemental, good listeners and enjoy meeting people.

"People who successfully complete the initial training and become volunteers gain a great deal of satisfaction from their work and are much appreciated by the people they help."

More details from Irene Mawdsley or Julia Sugar on 01254 871198.