BURNLEY'S battle against crime got a massive £200,000 boost today as the government backed closed circuit TV schemes in the town centre and a school.

The town centre is to get £193,000 to help pay for a comprehensive camera system that police and the council hope will be a massive aid in cracking down on theft, burglary and vandalism.

The cash grant goes towards the total of £371,000 needed to extend the already successful system.

Burnley's Habergham High will get £11,000 out of £14,000 as the scheme moves into schools for the first time.

It is one of three East Lancashire schools to get CCTV systems to crack crime.

Blackburn's Our Lady and St John School and Accrington's Peel Park County Primary School are also get government cash for the video security system.

The cash is part of a £15 million cash handout for CCTV covering more than 250 projects nationwide which includes schools for the first time.

Announcing the grants, Home Office Minister Tom Sackville said:"Burnley has done extremely well. It is most unusual for two schemes in a town to be judged worthy of government cash. CCTV is extremely effective in cutting crime.

"Young criminals know that if they are caught on video, it is

not even worth entering a plea of not guilty.

"We are installing 10,000 cameras over three years.

"The majority of the money has gone to town centre schemes this year but schools which applied for grants and failed should reapply next year when another £15 million will be pumped into the schemes.

"CCTV is very effective in improving school security and in tackling vandalism in particular."

About one third of the 800 schemes submitted nationwide have got government support after being evaluated for effectiveness, value for money and the level of community support and outside cash involved.

Last year the government provided £5 million in grants for CCTV and this year's £15 million will be repeated in the next two years.

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