STATE-of-the-art radio equipment is set to help Bolton police in their fight against crime.

Greater Manchester Police will be one of the first forces in the UK to introduce a digital radio service which helps emergency services personnel to communicate with each other.

The new system, costing more than £10 million, will include new radios which will be able to receive and make telephone calls.

And the secure communications system will also allow forces throughout the country to talk to each other directly, providing a countrywide crime-fighting network.

Information will be able to be shared between forces quickly, helping out at incidents which involve more than one police force.

A GMP spokesman said: "The digital service will be far better than the present analogue service in terms of clarity of voice, which will obviously be beneficial in times of disorder.

"There will also be more channels available to divisions rather than the half-dozen or so on offer at the moment."

The new system will be introduced throughout the policing region in a rolling programme starting next year, to be fully operational by 2002. It follows a pilot scheme completed in Lancashire Constabulary's area.