A COUNCILLOR who was the victim of violence in Padiham town centre has revealed that furious residents and shopkeepers are planning to march through the town to protest over lack of policing.

And Burnley council leader Stuart Caddy has responded to the move by writing to the head of Burnley police Chief Superintendent Mike Griffin calling on him to meet him and Padiham councillors this week "as a matter of urgency".

Coun Granville Lord, who was attacked as he tried to stop a man kicking a woman in the head in the town centre on Saturday night, said hundreds were expected to join the procession from the town hall to the police station this Saturday, where they aim to hand over a petition to a senior officer.

He said the "people's procession" will be followed by a town-wide public meeting in Padiham town hall with senior police next week.

Coun Caddy's letter to the police boss said: "Feelings are running high in the community and it is imperative that we meet urgently to discuss the current problems."

The action follows a spate of window-breaking and violent incidents - acts which residents put down to the night-time closure of the police station, lack of CCTV cover and alleged lack of police cover.

Coun Lord suffered a broken nose and cut lip in the Saturday night incident after he and his wife left a taxi near the Britannia Inn, in Guy Street, at around 11pm. He said: "I saw a man hitting a woman and then trying to kick her around the head.

"I shouted for him to stop and he just threw a punch at me and ran off.

"The woman then tried to attack me - it was crazy."

Independent Coun Lord, who was allowed home from hospital after treatment, said: "Feelings are running very strongly in Padiham over police cover.

"The petition is going around shops and pubs in the centre and will raise several thousand names.

"There have been many incidents and people feel they are just not getting police cover for the town."

Last week wheelie bins outside the town centre Co-op store were set on fire in one of the latest incidents.

Coun Lord added police were immediately at the scene after the Saturday night incident.

A police spokesman said they were investigating the incident involving Coun Lord but no man had been arrested.

He said a woman was arrested at the scene and possible charges were being considered.

On the wider policing situation he added: "We do take this matter very seriously and the inspector in charge of Padiham will be making a statement later in the week."

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