WORRIED residents and business people are living in a state of fear as they battle a rising tide of crime.

That is the grim picture of life on the streets of the town's crime blackspots - those areas beset with violence, drug misuse and vandalism.

Yesterday a BEN newsteam spoke to frustrated townsfolk, who are watching the neighbourhoods where they live and work, gradually spiral into decline.

We focused on four areas - Halliwell, the Manchester Road corridor, Great Lever and Farnworth - all highlighted by police and council bosses in a special report as crime-ridden neighbourhoods.

Newsagent Ferida Patel, who owns two shops on Halliwell Road, claimed shoplifting has escalated in the last year.

She added: "Last year was the worse I have ever known it. We must have had about 30 shoplifters in 1998.

"And we have heard of at least one violent crime where a woman was attacked in the morning as she opened up her shop. I have been here for 15 years but it's never been as bad as this"

Young mum, Hayley Plowman, 23, of Glenthorne Street, Halliwell, said she was desperate to move her family out of the area.

Her home is close to the flat where tragic Bolton pensioner Daniel McFadden was attacked and burned alive.

"When I first came here we thought it was fine, now we are looking for somewhere else," she said.

"I only live round the corner from where Daniel McFadden was killed in his flat. I hate it up here now. It's not safe for my kids or for anyone else."

Maria Hughes, 31, who lives on Manchester Road, admitted she would not let her children go out alone at night.

The mum-of-four, who has had to move three times in three years - once because of harassment from children - added: "I know of people who have had problems.

"I'm too scared to get involved because then you worry that you will be attacked in retaliation."

Faisal Malik, 17, who helps out with his family's jewellery shop on Manchester Road, opposite the partly-demolished Burnden Park, said he was not aware of a large crime wave in the area.

But the Bolton teenager admitted that the family had put a special security buzzer on their shop door as a precautionary measure.

Just a few miles away in Great Lever one plucky resident told how she and a neighbour had informed police of drug dealers, operating in front of her house.

Jean Speak, 54, added: "I used to watch them dealing from my front window. The police have done their best to clean up the area, but I'm very suspicious of people now.

"I've been burgled once and my next-door-neighbour has been broken into twice."

Lollipop lady Kath Taylor, who patrols on Rishton Lane, Great Lever, said: "It's as bad all over the town now. People are breaking and entering homes all the time.

"We were broken into but they only took the video and they were eventually caught."

Local butcher Graham Heyes, 54, who manages a shop on Rishton Lane, claims the situation would only improve if corporal punishment was introduced.

"There's no doubt that things are getting worse round here," he said. "These people should be locked up for good."

In Farnworth one elderly woman interviewed was so scared of reprisals that she would not give her name.

She told the BEN: "A lot of the trouble is because of children, but now I'm too scared to speak to them about it because of what they might do to you. I don't trust anbody."

Mary Maddison, 32, laid much of the blame for Farnworth's late-night crime wave at the doors of pubs and clubs.

She added: "It's late at night when these places empty that the fights start and the swearing. I can hear it from my house.

"This never happened when I used to go out at night but it's terrible round here on a Friday and Saturday night."

And June Walsh, who manages Shelley Tots nursery equipment shop on Market Street, revealed that a nearby car park has been identified as a particular haunt of criminals.

She added: "We have also had people walk into the shop and then just walk out wheeling a £400 pram and shove Christening gowns up their jumpers."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.