VICTIMS of crime will have their prayers answered when police launch informal meetings inside a Burnley church.

Markets, libraries, community centres and even supermarkets have all been trialled for police community action meetings across Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale.

But PCSO Frank Franco is hoping good souls will feel able to confess the sins of others under the watchful gaze of St Peter.

He believes the 900-year-old place of worship is just the right setting to encourage those who may be reluctant to share their concerns.

Each Thursday morning, from 10.30am, he is planning to stage a drop-in surgery at St Peter’s, to hand out information and advice.

He has already been to introduce himself to Canon Tom Bill, rector of St Peter’s, and members of the congregation.

He said: “It’s lovely when people come out to see us at public meetings but we realise not everyone will do that and sometimes it’s the people who suffer in silence who suffer most.

“That’s why we are looking at new ways to reach out to people and gather views and new venues to visit.

“We want to capture as many different opinions on crime and disorder as possible and reach out to as many members of the local community as we can.

“By visiting churches and other venues on a regular basis we hope to be able to reassure people that we do know what their concerns are and secondly, tell them what action we are taking to tackle them.”

The PCSO has become a popular face around the town centre and has recently been involved in shoplifting crackdowns.