BURNLEY'S pioneering community policing could be taken up across the country after it was highlighted at a national conference of law and order top brass.

Sure Start worker Sharon Swindells spoke at the Association of Chief Police Officers' event in London about the impact of neighbourhood policing.

And now some of the country's top police officers want to come East Lancashire to see how the system works Mrs Swindells, who works at the Sure Start centre, Tay Street, said: "I spoke about what it was like in before neighbourhood policing and the positive impact it has had.

"I have lived and worked in the Trinity area for a number of years and was asked by the police to go to this conference and give my personal view on the effect this type of policing has had on the area. I was speaking for all the residents around here and just wanted everybody there to see it from our point of view"

Community beat managers were introduced five years ago with Trinity among the first areas in the country to pilot the scheme.

Each area of town now has dedicated officers who hold surgeries and give out mobile phone contact numbers so people can get in touch and highlight any problems.

Mrs Swindells said: "We appear to be streets ahead in terms of neighbourhood policing and it was nice that Burnley was shown in such good light."

Trinity community beat manager PC Ian Willis said: "Working so closely with people in the area means you gain a real understanding of the people and the area and that helps when you are dealing with problems."