POLICE today hailed a fall in violent crime in Burnley but said it had little to do with the introduction of round-the-clock drinking.

They said in the three months since the implementation of the new licensing laws in November violent crime in the borough had fallen 7.5 per cent.

This meant there were 64 less incidents in the town compared to the months of September and October.

That mirrors a national trend which the Government said yesterday proved that round-the-clock drinking was making town centres safer.

But police in Burnley said their reduction was more to do with their work.

However Insp Damian Darcy, from Burnley Police, said: "The licencing laws should help reduce crime but it is too early to put these falls down to that.

"From a policing point of view we have been working hard and there has been a lot of things going on such as increased funding to put more police on the beat over Christmas and the New Year."

Insp Darcy said schemes already in place in the borough such as the pub-watch initiative Burnley Against Night-time Disorder (BAND) and several alcohol exclusion zones, as well as Burnley issuing the most Anti-Social Behaviour Orders in Lancashire, were helping reduce violent crime which range from attacks and robberies to public order offences.

Insp Darcy said staggered kicking-out times from pubs and clubs would help reduce crime by not having thousands of people flooding on to the streets at once and trying to get food or taxis.

He added that, in Burnley, more than 60 per cent of violent crime was now detected compared to 40 per cent early last year.

He said: "We are doing a lot of hard work to tackle anti-social behaviour.

"The message is clear those thinking of committing violent crime are taking a huge risk and are likely to get caught.

"We will continue to tackle the issue so law-abiding people can go about their business peacefully."

A spokesman for the Home Office said the new drinking laws did appear to be having an impact and that they would continue to assess progress.