CRIME victims and witnesses will soon be able to report offences over the internet, Lancashire's Chief Constable has revealed.

People will also be able to leave information relating to crimes, or responses to police appeals, on the force's website.

It is hoped the scheme, which begins on June 1, will help improve the flow of information between the public and the police.

Chief Constable Pauline Clare said: "I am very excited about this. The Government has introduced an eGovernment project to bring all Government organisations on to the internet within five years.

"We are part of that and We already use the internet to make appeals and keep people up to date with what is happening within the force. But this scheme will enable people to communicate with us in a new way.

"Once a crime has been logged with us, we will look at it immediately and decide what action has to be taken. It may be that someone has to be deployed to it immediately, or that arrangements will be made for an officer to investigate it later.

"Otherwise, we will take a decision whether or not it fits the criteria to be logged as a crime.

"As with other methods, information about crimes will be treated in confidence.

"We are already employing an internet officer to monitor activity on the internet, which I think shows our commitment."

The Association of Chief Police Officers aims to have all forces running such schemes within five years, the government's deadline for all state organisations to be on-line. Lancashire Police will be among the first to go live.

Home Secretary and Blackburn MP Jack Straw said: "Launching such a project on the internet can only ease the passing of information to the police which will hopefully lead to a reduction in crime.

"Lancashire has an excellent record in fighting crime, with a 20 per cent reduction in the past four years.

"f-zf+zin the process of f-zf+ztime of arrest to conviction."