A POLICE spy camera was used for the first time to help break up crowds of town centre revellers last weekend.

A group of around 150-200 people dispersed as soon as they realised they were being filmed on the new mobile surveillance unit in Church Street, Preston.

The reaction by drinkers at the well-known trouble spot signals the camera's success as a major crime deterrent.

Project manager Inspector Peter Tickle said: "The fact that this happened amounts to the prime object of this unit; to deter violent crime and public disorder."

Five incidents were caught on film on Saturday night including an assault on a man by four others outside Tokyo Jo's night club. The offenders were arrested and depending how they plead in court, the film footage could be used as evidence in the case.

Inspector Tickle went on: "Preston has a real problem with violent crime and public disorder - especially at the weekend.

"People have has their ears bitten off, there have been several street robberies and one lad went round slashing people with a knife.

"So when we were offered some money by the Lancashire Partnership Against Crime it was obvious we needed to spend it tackling these areas."

Now they are under pressure to make the new scheme a success as funding will run out in March next year and they will have to bid for extra cash to keep it going.

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