A PIONEERING mobile police station is set to be introduced in Bolton's crime-ridden areas.

The £40,000 portable unit, the first of its kind in Greater Manchester, will be placed in communities across the town for 12-week periods from next month.

It will go to Halliwell first because the district has been identified as an area suffering high levels of drug-related crime.

Intelligence will then determine where the 40ft long portable station will be located next.

It is a converted freight container and includes an enquiry office, a front counter and private interview rooms. It will also be linked to the force-wide computer network and be staffed by a police sergeant and five constables.

Insp Simon Tovell, Bolton Council's Police Liaison Officer, said: "It can fully function as an independent police station, but will not have a custody area.

"Officers will be able to work from it as they would do from a normal station. We want people to visit and talk to the staff. It is the people's police station."

The plan is to target drug crime and associated offences, but anti-social behaviour will also be tackled. It is based on a similar scheme in Hull which saw a 34 per cent drop in crime and the arrest of 14 drug dealers.

Funding for an initial two year period has come from the Home Office under the Government's Communities Against Drugs initiative. It could be continued if it proves successful.

Residents can report crimes, gain crime prevention advice and get Bolton Council information.

It is hoped to launch community projects from the unit and Bolton's first six Community Safety Officers (CSO's) will also be based there to be the "eyes and ears" of the police.

The opening hours of the station have not been finalised.

Insp Tovell added: "The idea is that it is continually addressing where the main crime problems are and moving to them. We are working with Bolton Council.

"There will be a lot of pro-active police work and we are hoping it will bring the problems under control very quickly. We hope to make the community feel safer and tackle crime."

The mobile police station will be opened in Brownlow Fold Community Learning Centre's car park in Eskrick Street by Greater Manchester's Chief Constable Michael Todd on Monday, February 3.