POLICE volunteers were on duty across East Lancashire this weekend in a “special” crackdown.

Special Constables from Eastern and Pennine Divisions took part in extra patrols in a bid to highlight the importance of the officers.

Operations included campaigns against poachers, rogue taxi drivers and football thugs and saw hundreds of the volunteer officers take to the streets.

Special Constables in Colne spoke to 51 motorists as part of an operation to spot defects on cars, and also identified a number of private hire taxis touting for business in Burnley on Friday and Saturday night.

The taxi drivers are now likely to be prosecuted by Burnley Council as a result of the operation.

In Blackburn a number of Special Constables took part in patrols around the Rovers game against Newcastle on Saturday, ensuring the area around the ground and town centre remained trouble- free.

In Padiham there was a plain-clothes operation against poachers.

Specials Inspector Laura Kendall said: “The weekend has been very successful.

“A number of anti-social behaviour patrols were carried out as well various operations, including a plain clothes poaching operation in Padiham.”

It was part of the national Specials Weekend, designed to demonstrate the importance of the Special Constabulary.