BURNLEY'S security-TV system is set to become one of the biggest in the country.

Twenty-five new cameras will keep watch on crime blackspots after the government awarded the borough £193,000 on top of £168,000 from the private-sector and council funds.

Homes, businesses, old-folk's housing, schools, community centres, railway stations, churches, pubs and a health centre will come under the gaze of the 24-hour TV control room.

Burnley bid to the Home Office for cash to expand the town-centre camera system, which has cut crime by half. The bid's success was announced on Friday.

The borough's police chief, Superintendent Mike Griffin, welcomed the announcement and thanked all the organisations which contributed to the expansion funds.

He said: "Without their help we would not have been able to set up the largest single extension to any CCTV system anywhere in the country.

"We were the first in Lancashire with a town-centre system. Now we're going to have the largest spread extension of any system in the country. We would like to achieve similar reductions in crime at these new sites."

Council spokesman John Greenwood said: "Our CCTV has improved the lives of Burnley people and is a national leader in crime prevention."

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