THE go-ahead has been received for a £108,000 CCTV crime-busting scheme for Haslingden town centre.

Haslingden has the highest level of town-centre crime in Rossendale, especially violence and alcohol-related offences.

Six closed-circuit cameras will provide a watchful eye over car parks on Deardengate, Hindle Street and Dale Street, parts of Blackburn Road, Manchester Road, Regent Street, Helmshore Road, Grane Road and Bury Road.

The masts have already been erected and the scheme should be up and running by the end of March. The scheme is funded under the government's crime-reduction initiative with support from the Action for Haslingden Partnership, which has provided a quarter of the money, £27,000.

It will be supervised by the Rossendale Community Safety Partnership and Rossendale Council will fund continued monitoring at an estimated cost of £15,000 a year.

Live film footage will be fed to the control room in Burnley with an emergency relay to police headquarters in Burnley.

CCTV has proved a big success shortly after its introduction in neighbouring town centres, with a big drop in crime following the arrival of cameras.

More than 70 per cent of Rossendale residents who were consulted about the future of the Rossendale cited CCTV as being a high priority in reducing crime and fear of crime.

Sally Collins, managing director of the Haslingden Partnership, said they were delighted to be involved in the scheme to reduce crime in the town centre.