COUNCILLORS are set to hold a meeting with residents to discuss concerns over crime in Westhoughton.

It follows two armed robberies in the space of an hour late on Sunday night and reports of an increase in crime in the town.

Councillors are now planning to set up a meeting in the new year for residents to meet with police and raise their concerns.

It is hoped the meeting will help the community to prevent crime and give parties the chance to discuss concerns regarding safety and security.

On Sunday night, two businesses in the town were hit by armed raiders armed with hammers and knives.

The Costcutter in Church Street was targeted by two men armed with knives and hammers at around 9.20pm and a member of staff fled and hid in a back room.

They only managed to steal her bag and purse and she was not harmed but the two men did smash the glass window and door before fleeing into the estate behind the shop.

Not long after, at around 10pm two men armed with knives entered the Mercury Service Station, on Manchester Road near the Chequerbent roundabout.

They stole around £100 in cash and cigarettes from the petrol station.

No-one was injured in either incident but the member of staff at the Costcutter was left badly shaken.

A time and date has not been set for the meeting but councillors want residents to stick together until then.

Cllr David Chadwick, who represents Westhoughton South, said: "It has been going on for a while and crime is going up.

"Lets face it, there has got to be a correlation between the reduction in police numbers and the increase in crime.

"Basically the villains seem to have free reign to go round pointing guns and other unsavoury instruments at people, it is just appalling.

"We want to hear what residents concerns are. They are going to be upset. We are hoping to have police there."

At a meeting of Westhoughton Town Council last month, PCs Paul Griffiths and Phil Burrows said the cut in officer numbers and the relocation of their base has hindered their presence in the town.

They said three years ago they had four officers and four PCSOs and now have two officers and three PCSOs.

Cllr Chadwick paid tribute to the town's officers and residents.

He said: "Westhoughton is still a wonderful place. It is a community where people look out for each other.

"I have got the upmost admiration for our police officers. We have got some fantastic people in Westhoughton. It is just a fact that we haven't got enough police officers."