KNOWN shoplifters are to be drummed out of town centre stores in the latest drive to stamp out crime.

Shop owners are to ban convicted shoplifters, pilferers and sneak thieves from entering their premises. The Blackpool Town Centre Forum and Blackpool police, who already run a RadioLink system to warn retailers of approaching troublemakers, are launching an Exclusion Order Scheme to keep out known thieves.

People caught stealing from town centre stores will be sent notices telling them they will be excluded from all businesses taking part in the scheme.

Blackpool town centre manager Nigel Hanson said: "Details will be circulated of people who are subject to exclusion orders - quite a number will already be known to staff as habitual offenders. It's all part of our continuing drive to improve town centre security for shoppers."

The forum and police have also joined forces for a Theftstop training programme aimed at teaching staff preventative measures, how to spot shoplifters and pickpockets and how to deal with them.

Mr Hanson said: "The courses are running through to May and we've already had a very high take-up, with 160 places booked.

"It's part of the overall drive to work with the council and police to improve security so that people feel comfortable and safe."

The scheme, which is supported by the Blackpool Challenge Partnership and is free to retailers, will include parallel courses in countering violence and how to deal with the situation if robbers do turn nasty.

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