SNIFFER dogs were sent into a Blackburn nightclub as part of a new crackdown on the town's night-time drugs economy.

The dogs were sent into Heaven and Hell in Lord Square on Friday -- before, during and after the club's opening hours.

But they sniffed out no drugs during the searches, which officers have described as 'very positive for the club.'

Heaven and Hell was the first of many pubs and clubs in the town which will have the sniffer dogs searching their premises over the coming weeks.

Licensees have backed the scheme after being consulted through the town's pub watch scheme, called Bar U.

Adele Lord, general manager of Heaven and Hell and the chair of Bar U, said: "We try to be as proactive as we can in these issues. When we had the phone call from the police we welcomed them in.

"One of our branches, in Stockport, actually lets the police use them as a training centre, and we find helping the police helps the town.

"We don't have a drugs problem in these premises but for the police to come in with the drugs dogs means if we do have a problem anywhere we can pinpoint where it is and target the areas of concern."

Police said the action would help licensees identify problem areas and allow them to take action, such as installing CCTV or extra lightening in parts of their venues.

Sergeant Rachel Baines said: "This is the first time officers have conducted random searches of this nature and we are very pleased with the outcome.

"It is a tactic that we will be employing in the future with the full support of the licensees.

"The searches are part on an ongoing initiative, coordinated by Blackburn Community Safety Partnership, which aims to help reduce violent and drug-related crime in the town centre."

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, which is on the partnership, is involved in the scheme.

Coun Andy Kay, executive member for regeneration, said: "Anything which helps the licensees manage the problems they face is to be welcomed.

"This particular initiative addresses something which, in the main, doesn't present itself in an obvious manner and is usually hidden from their view.

"Sniffer dogs are one way of trying to find those hidden problems.