A VICAR has joined our war against drugs and is urging Blackburn people to 'shop' known drug dealers to the police.

The Reverend Peter Grierson believes the growing number of prostitutes and burglaries in his parish is directly linked to a rise in heroin addiction.

And the vicar of St Luke's and St Philip's church believes the only way to fight back against the rising tide of crime is for citizens to turn informers.

The 55-year-old has lived and worked in Blackburn for seven years and claims prostitution on the streets around Redlam and the Galligreaves estate has risen dramatically in recent months.

He said: "Several years ago a few girls used to gather on the corner of Chapel Street. The numbers have now increased.

"They have spread all along King Street and have started working on the fringes of the Galligreaves estate."

Mr Grierson added: "While I do feel sympathy for these girls you also have to look at the effect it has on people living in the area.

"A number of parishioners have told me of some alarming incidents in recent months.

"It has got to stage where residents are too frightened to let their children play out in the evening."

The vicar has told of girls as young as 12 being approached by men looking for prostitutes and local women being verbally abused and intimated. In one case, he says, a teenage girl was spat at when she refused to get in a car with a man.

Mr Grierson is also concerned about the increasing number of burglaries in the area.

He said: "There have been three or four blatant burglaries where people desperate for cash to feed their drug addiction have gone into local homes.

"Obviously there is some sadness that youngsters are being sucked into heroin addiction, but there is also a lot of anger about the effect addicts are having on the area." The vicar welcomes the work being done by fellow clergyman Father Jim McCartney with heroin addicts in Blackburn.

But he believes a tougher stance needs to be taken with the dealers who keep addicts in Blackburn supplied with heroin.

He said: "This needs to be a three pronged attack.

"Home Secretary and Blackburn MP Jack Straw has promised a crackdown on crime based on his experiences in Blackburn.

"We also need people like Father Jim and more work needs to be done on the rehabilitation of addicts.

"But members of the public need to share some of the burden as well. Until people are prepared to stand up against the drug dealers we will never get to the root of the problem.

"There is a lot of intimidation but residents should be prepared to work with the police and help them to catch the dealers by identifying them.

"I appeal to all right-minded citizens that if they know of drug dealers to inform the police immediately."

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