TACKLING the scourge of thieves, thugs and yobs in the Valley is going to be the number one priority for Ross-endale’s new top cop.

Police and community leaders have held talks to thrash out where crimefighters should target their efforts throughout the coming year.

And overcoming the menace of burglars and sneak thieves, alongside taming troublemakers, were the key challenges identified by Rossendale Community Safety Partnership.

Chief Insp Ian Sewart, the new police borough commander for Rossendale, believes there is already a strong bond between the force, borough council, fire brigade and NHS to tackle the issues raised He said: “Drug and alcohol misuse are such themes that we can come together and tackle, offering help and support whilst ensuring zero tolerance on issues effected such as anti-social behaviour, domestic violence, acquisitive crime and reckless driving.

“It is not good enough just to do these things, we need to engage and inform our communities on the work that we do on their behalf.

“We are paid by them to solve these issues and that is exactly what we will be doing.”

Road safey and improving public confidence in community safety were the other key priorities selected at the meeting, at the new Rossendale police HQ in Waterfoot.

Last week half a dozen people were detained in Bacup and Waterfoot as part of Operation Flytrap for heroin and cannabis offences Insp Judith Finney has been appointed to the borough police’s management team and given special responsibility for neighbouring policing and partnership work.

Mike Riley, Rossendale Council’s communities manager, said: “We are firmly committed to working with the police and other agencies to ensure we get benefits for the area.”