BOLTON and Bury Chamber is taking a lead role in a national campaign to count the true cost of business crime.

The chamber is surveying its 1,200 local members to find their views on business crime and is offering to make further copies of the questionnaire available to other businesses who are eager to make their voice heard on this important issue.

Kay Gregson, director of customer services for the chamber, said: "Business crime is often mistakenly seen as 'victimless' -- committed against profitable, insured companies.

"For the vast majority of businesses, this is not the case, especially for small companies, where crime can threaten the viability of the business and cause considerable stress for managers and employees.

"We intend to identify the true scale and impact of crime against local business and dispel the myth that there are no victims. We hope that as many businesses as possible will take the time to complete the short questionnaire, which will enable us to count the real cost of crime within our local business community."

She added: "Together with the data we collect from other chambers nationwide we will be able to pressurise the Government into providing the right level of resource and service that is demanded by Bolton and Bury businesses and to alert politicians to the damage this sort of crime can inflict."

Copies of the questionnaire from Kay Gregson on 01204 374668 or e-mail: kgregson@chamberhelp.co.uk