NIGHTCLUB owners today rejected a plan to bring in sniffer-dogs at a Blackburn venue after successful trials in York, claiming there simply wasn't a drugs problem. The new Millennium nightclub, on Cicely Lane, has turned down the offer of hired hounds to hunt out people carrying drugs on the premises. The offer, from Millennium's parent company Northern Leisure, followed a successful pilot scheme at two clubs in York - The Gallery and Toffs, which also installed video cameras to keep an eye on clubbers.

Both venues had suffered drug problems and dogs were hired from a southern-based company, which looks after the ex-RAF trained animals.

But manager of Millennium, Elliott Simpson says his party-goers wouldn't appreciate been sniffed by a dog! He said: "As a club which caters for over 25s, we do not suffer from a drugs problem to the same extent as a club which caters for the over 18s. Anybody who looks suspicious isn't allowed into the club and that seems to be working at the moment. But if a problem arose, I would consider the option of using dogs."

Acting Chief Inspector Dale Allen of Blackburn Police said: "It is up to the individual venue how they deal with such problems, as long as they do so within the law and licensing regulations. If dogs were used, I am sure it would be interpreted by the community as welcome steps to showing Millennium is not a place for the use of illicit drugs."

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