A BUSINESSMAN has moved out of Rossendale and invested £500,000 in new premises in Bury, claiming police have failed to act over fires and vandalism running into tens of thousands of pounds.

Raymond and Marie Stansfield own R M Stansfield 24-hour vehicle recovery business, which has been based in Rossendale for 15 years.

But Mr Stansfield said today: "I've gone because the aggravation I have had over the last 18 months -- it's was just not worth being there any more.

"We needed to move to expand the business but there was no way I was going to invest any more in the Rossendale Valley. We had already made a massive investment of £350,000 in the Stacksteads site but it was a case of throwing good money after bad."

There were five fires at the car depot in 1998 and it was vandalised 15 times in three weeks last year.

The couple even set up a video camera and caught young vandals wrecking cars. They took the evidence to police but the lads were let off with a caution.

Mr Stansfield said: "If you can't look after your business then there is no point in being there. I believe the police in Rossendale aren't capable of what they are supposed to do."

Now the couple plan to demolish Victoria and Acre Mills, off Farholme Lane, Stacksteads, and sell the two-and-a-half acre site for housing. R M Stansfield moved into a two-acre site on Tile Street in Bury four years ago and has now spent £500,000 to relocate the whole company into a mill in the street taking the Rossendale workforce with them.

Mr Stansfield said: "Although we have had the odd problem in Bury we have had a better response from the authorities here. We now have a modern premises, better facilities, better security and all on one site."

Inspector Michael Marren, in charge of Rossendale East which covers Bacup, Stacksteads, Waterfoot and Whitworth, said: "When the incident happened in July 1999 we were acting on available evidence and in accordance with national guidelines. Now we have new youth offending teams to deal with incidents involving juveniles.

"It is unfortunate that someone feels they have to move out of the Rossendale Valley. From April 1 to July 10 all crime in Rossendale East has reduced by 42 per cent and last month it reduced by 55 per cent.