SHOPPERS who want to vote while they're in Blackburn or Darwen town centre on Saturday are urged to bring their polling cards to avoid being stuck in queues.

And election cheats who think they can take advantage of the early voting system have been warned they will be caught -- and could go to jail.

Shoppers can vote early at polling booths in the town centres as the council takes part in a Government pilot scheme aimed at luring the missing thousands back to the ballot box.

Only 30 per cent of residents voted in Blackburn and Darwen at last May's council elections, the lowest turnout ever.

Polling stations will be set up near Next in Blackburn shopping centre and at Darwen Town Hall between 9am and 5pm on Saturday.

Both stations will be open to voters from all over the borough, and people from Edgworth ward in North Turton will also be able to vote for parish councillors.

Every ballot paper will be checked and a computer link will be set up between the two stations.

Phil Watson, chief executive of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: "We do not know how much demand there will be, so we are putting extra staff on stand by.

"We hope people will be patient if they have to queue. Bringing your polling card is not absolutely necessary but it will speed things up.

"Some concerns have been raised about people turning up to vote and pretending to be someone they are not.

"We have ways of checking. Personation, as it is known, is a serious criminal offence which can lead to a £5,000 fine or two years in prison."