BURY'S acclaimed community safety wardens have moved into a new town centre HQ.

They will run their operations from an office on The Rock in a bid to make their service even more effective.

Eight wardens patrol the town centre dressed in yellow and grey uniforms and have been praised for their work in reducing crime.

The scheme was set up four months ago with local, national and European funding and is just the second of its kind in the country.

Project manager Ged McGee said it was logical that the wardens should have a Bury town centre base. The office would have a reception area to give information to people who drop in, and also has the space to hold workshops.

Mr McGee said the idea behind the project was to work in partnership with local people, adding: "We hope to invite traders and businesses to come along and find our more about us, what we are trying to do and how we can help them."

The wardens were recruited from the dole queue and given training for the job.

Reported crime in Bury town centre dropped by 20 per cent in December and the town's market enjoyed its first crime-free week ever. In February the wardens provided information to the police which led to the capture of a shop-lifting team responsible for stealing £3,500 worth of goods from local stores.

As well as tackling crime, they have also made a impact in reporting incidents such as dirty streets and over-flowing litter bins.

Council leader Derek Boden was sure that the scheme would be copied by others across the country.

He said the project had both made the streets safer and given unemployed people the chance to work and be part of the community.

"I am sure that the new town centre base will make the wardens even more effective and noticeable than before," he added.

The wardens have set up a hotline number. They can be contacted on 764 6111.

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