COMMUNITIES were today urged to keep tipping off police after a heroin dealer who had addicts queuing outside his house was jailed for eight years.

Complaints from residents about people hanging around Carl Harris's home in Ripon Street, Audley, Blackburn, helped detectives snare him.

DS Jon Bayly , of the targeted crime unit, said: "We welcome the help from the public and they should keep contacting us. We always act on information.

"We were really pleased with the sentence and it sends out a good message to other drug dealers. This man has inflicted suffering and misery on the local community and the sentence is also an excellent outcome for the police and the residents of Audley."

Harris, 43, was sentenced last week at Preston Crown Court after police compiled substantial evidence against him using several different tactics.

Initially, they carried out a number of raids on his home and recovered several wraps of heroin and crack cocaine.

Then, undercover police officers joined the queue outside Harris's home to catch him dealing.

DS Bayly added: "He was a nuisance in the community. We had between 10 and 15 complaints about him asking us for action. He had people queuing up outside his house.

"If there was one person in his house, he would have five people hanging around outside. He gave his number out on pieces of paper and gave it to anyone who wanted it.

"Some people were even cold-calling at his house for drugs. Jailing him will make a big difference to the area as it is a nice area to live."