MINISTERS are considering taking up an East Lancashire MP's move to use the criminal law to crack down on sinister stalkers.

Senior Whitehall sources were making clear today that Rossendale and Darwen MP Janet Anderson's Commons Bill to create an easily prosecutable offence to deal with people who repeatedly harass their victims but stop short of violence, could be used by the government as a vehicle for action.

The Home Office minister responsible for the issue has invited Mrs Anderson to meet senior civil servants over the drafting of her Bill.

Minister of State David Maclean has arranged for her to meet Christine Stewart, the senior Parliamentary draftswoman looking at stalking, on Monday with two other Home Office officials.

And the Lord Chancellor, Lord Mackay - the Cabinet minister responsible for the law of the land - is understood to be trying to arrange a meeting with Mrs Anderson. The move comes after an American who stalked pop star Madonna was jailed for a total of ten years.

And one government minister said: "We certainly believe action is needed. The Home Office is considering this very carefully.

"What we need is not legislation saying we want to do something, but a clear law that will actually work in the courts.

"If Mrs Anderson can help us produce that, then we may be able to use it."

Mrs Anderson took action after a series of celebrated stalking cases where weirdos plagued people such as tennis players Monica Seles and Steffi Graf and super model Naomi Campbell.

The issue was brought to public notice when Falklands war veteran Anthony Burstow was jailed for a three-year campaign of 'stalking' 28-year-old Tracey Sant, just hours before Mrs Anderson introduced her Ten Minute Rule Bill.

But despite the success under the existing Common Law, subsequent cases have failed to secure convictions.

Mrs Anderson said this made clear the need for a defined, and prosecutable statutory offence.

There were many cases where people, normally women, were stalked for years and ended up unable to feel at ease or safe.

All too often the police can only act when the stalker resorts to violence.

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