THE first anti-crime security cameras in Pendle will keep watch on Brierfield, one of the borough's smaller townships.

They will be installed on top of columns under an agreement between Brierfield Town Council, which will pay for the system, and the existing CCTV scheme in Burnley.

Pendle Council's Liberal administration has ruled out any council-backed CCTV scheme in the rest of the borough, including the much bigger towns of Nelson and Colne, although other groups are considering cameras in Nelson and Barrowford.

The Brierfield cameras, which will cover trouble spots around the town centre, will be monitored by staff at Burnley who will alert local police officers.

The three cameras were given the go ahead by Pendle Council's Brierfield and Reedley area committee last night.

They will be sited at the junction of Arthur Street and William Street, on the forecourt of the Greyhound Hotel, and next to the war memorial, outside the town hall. Sergeant Harvey Thompson, of Burnley police, pledged the cameras would cut crime and nuisance problems in the area.

He told the committee: "It's essential these cameras are in the right position to ensure maximum coverage of the area.

"Site tests have been carried out day and night to ensure the operators can see what they want to see with these cameras.

"I don't want to build a picture of Brierfield having horrendous problems.

"Brierfield is no worse than any other town but there are crime and nuisance problems and CCTV can help, not just the areas directly covered but also the streets around them."

Suggestions that the Arthur Street camera could be restricted to prevent it viewing into nearby houses were rejected after councillors heard it would make the camera virtually ineffective.

Sgt Thompson said the scheme would be covered by a national code of practice which protected people's privacy.

Councillor Pauline McCormick said: "If people there are not concerned about it being intrusive, and the good points outweigh the bad, we have to go along with what people want."

The other cameras will cover the town centre, particularly Colne Road and the area around the town hall, library and community centre which is often the meeting place for large groups of youths.

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