HOME Secretary Jack Straw has warned police chiefs that their greatest challenge over the next 12 months will be dealing with the new millennium.

The Blackburn MP believes forward planning is essential to stop the county collapsing when the clocks strike midnight on New Year's Eve.

But bosses at Lancashire police's headquarters in Hutton say preparations are already well under way to ensure a smooth start .

Three specialist teams have been set up and a series of top level meetings are planned for the next few months.

Jack Straw claims the millennium will test forces across the country to their full extent.

He said: "All the problems policing a typical New Year's Eve are likely to be multiplied several times over.

"As well as this the millennium bug is likely to affect some computers, telecommunications systems and other electronic equipment."

Mr Straw added: "A lot of work has been done to ensure that essential services, such as telephones, water and electricity will continue to operate normally.

"But there is no room for complacency and we need to be prepared for anything that does go wrong." Lancashire police have set up a special team to look at the IT implications of the millennium for the force.

A second group of officers is looking at the effect the new century will have on force's radio and communications network.

The third team is putting together a policing strategy designed to deal with the thousands of events and parties being planned.

A police spokesman said: "The final list of events has not been finalised and until then accurate calculations for staffing levels and costs cannot be made.

"An advisory committee has been established and is working on a blueprint document.

"Discussions are taking place with many different agencies and councils, to build a picture of celebrations right across the county."

The spokesman added: "With 12 months on the calendar the Constabulary does seem to have everything in hand to ensure the Year 2000 is bought in with a small fizz rather than a big bang."

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