A MOBILE police station in Accrington town centre helped cut crime over Christmas.

Town centre sergeant John Kennedy said the unit, which was set up outside the market hall, was a "huge success".

The mobile station and other measures were taken as part of the police's annual Christmas crackdown, which was this year dubbed Operation Elves.

It was first used in the town in the run up to Christmas in 2004 and contributed to an 18 per cent reduction in crime on the previous year.

This year the number of crimes has fallen again, this time by 25 per cent, from 20 to 15.

Sgt Kennedy said: "We had the mobile police station in the town centre for 10 days as part of our Christmas operation.

"It has played a large part in the 25 per cent reduction in crime we have seen, compared to the same period last year.

He said the mobile unit and high visibility policing in the town centre had had a particular impact on the number of petty crimes, such as shoplifting and theft from shoppers, although the exact figures have yet to be worked out.

Sgt Kennedy said it had proved to be such as success that they intended to bid for it again for Christmas 2006.

He said: "We will ask for it again and I am confident, in view of the success we have had in terms of a reduction in the crime figures, that we will get it again."