RESIDENTS have been urged to turn into snoops . . . to cut crime in the Leigh area. Householders are to be given special sheets to fill in to record the comings-and-goings in their street.

The Intelligence Report Forms will contain residents' notes on strangers' cars or anything unusual.The forms will then be sent in pre-paid envelopes direct to the police at Leigh where they will be looked at and assessed.

And although Homewatch schemes have been operating for many years, this scheme is thought to be the first of its kind in the country.

Launching the project this week, Supt Mary Vaisnys of Leigh police (pictured at the scheme's launch), said: "This is a project which legitimises being nosey. The community are the eyes and ears of the police. They know more than the local bobbies will ever know about their area."

The intelligence pads will be given out to the Homewatch organisers in the Coalfields Challenge area to be distributed to members.

Crime reduction adviser Ian Halliwell added: "The intelligence we get, however small, might just be the snippet of information which provides the final piece of the jigsaw."

The crime-reduction scheme also hopes to double the number of Homewatch groups in the area to around 260 by September this year. The scheme, costing £11,000, is funded by Coalfield Challenge and Greater Manchester police's crime prevention fund The Shrievalty Trust and is supported by Wigan Metro.

Anyone who wants to start a scheme should contact Homewatch co-ordinators Henry Wood on 0161 856 7053 or Paula Wooding on 0161 856 7212.