THE organisers of three crime fighting schemes have won national recognition in an awards scheme.

And the awards mean that the Blackburn and Darwen area has done better than any other part of the county.

The awards were handed out by the National Neighbourhood Watch Association as part of an annual round of prize giving.

All three neighbourhood watch schemes were picked out by a panel of judges who were impressed by a series of anti-crime initiatives.

The Neighbourhood watch scheme on the St James' estate in Darwen won the award after crime rates in the area fell by 61 per cent.

Members of the neighbourhood watch scheme took part in a anti-crime drive organised by the police which targeted known offenders in the area.

Local partnerships have also been formed with organisations to improve the estate. And the St James' Estate group has also set up a scheme to improve security in houses in the area.

Another award winner was the Laxey Road scheme in Blackburn which was launched four years ago and has since gone from strength to strength.

Projects set up by the Laxey Road group have included security lighting in the area and a number of projects aimed at giving residents the chance to improve security in their homes. The final award went to the Pritchard Street and Lynthorpe Road scheme in Blackburn which was formed two years ago.

Improvements in the area have included a CCTV surveillance system and improved security lighting.

Blackburn community safety officer Carol Hendey said: "We have done really well to get three commendations in the Blackburn area.

"Thousands of schemes apply for the awards and only one other town in Lancashire had a scheme which won an award."

Representatives from the three schemes were invited to Blackburn police station to receive awards from the area commander Chief Superintendent Eddie Walsh.

Pictured, from the left, are Susan Freear, from the St James' scheme, John Milburn from Laxey Road, Darwen police Inspector Robin Howard, Carole Davis, from Pritchard Street, Inspector Mike Simmons, Chief Superintendent Eddie Walsh, Irene Neill from Pritchard Street and community safety officer Carole Hendey.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.