RESIDENTS who organised public meetings and protest marches in a bid to bring law and order to an East Lancashire town are celebrating a victory for people power today after the Government gave the go-ahead for a £1million scheme.

Neighbours in Padiham called for a CCTV system to be installed in the town following a number of violent incidents last year.

And, as a result of a £1million bid, four new cameras and help points are to be established in the town centre as part of a major scheme.

It will also include the relocation and updating of the CCTV control room in Burnley, the replacement of eight cameras in Burnley with new state-of-the-art models and £200,000 worth of security measures in Nelson.

The news was announced at a meeting of Burnley Council by leader Stuart Caddy.

He said: "I am more than pleased to say I have just received a fax to say the bid has been successful."

Coun Caddy added that thanks were due to Padiham councillors and to the officers who had worked extremely hard on the bid.

Coun Harry Brooks told members the community leadership of Coun Granville Lord had been outstanding. He went on: "Last summer he had launched what at first was virtually a one-man crusade for law and order in Padiham."

Coun Caddy also paid tribute to the work of Coun Ann Hudson whom he praised for beginning the campaign by making numerous telephone calls about disturbances in the Padiham area.

Coun Lord told the meeting: "This is very good news for Padiham. The people who made it were the people of Padiham. Their support was terrific."

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