A GRANDMOTHER and a 16-year-old boy were among a gang of 20 caught in a police crackdown on drug dealers.

Police targeted homes in Walkden, Little Hulton and Great Lever as part of an operation to disrupt the sale of heroin and crack cocaine.

The ringleaders were jailed for a total of more than 30 years after appearing at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester.

Among those locked up were grandmother Eunice Masterson, aged 56. She was jailed for three years for dealing heroin in the Little Hulton area.

The 16-year-old, who was from Little Hulton but cannot be named for legal reasons, was given an 18-month supervision order.

A full list of those jailed appears below.

Supt Ian Palmer, of Salford police, said: "The aim of this operation was to send a message to both the public and to the drug dealers who blight our community.

"To the dealers themselves, the message could not be clearer - we are coming for you. Officers will be coming through your door when you least expect it and you will be arrested and brought to justice.

"We will not tolerate drugs in our community. They can have a devastating effect and can often lead to other serious crimes."

Police swooped on 25 addresses in Bolton and Salford last October. They arrested eight women and 13 men on suspicion of supply or being concerned in the supply of Class-A drugs.

Class-A drugs, a shotgun cartridge and a Taser gun were also seized during the raids.

Operation Marengo was the result of months of work by officers and staff acting on information from local residents and Police Community Support Officers.

The operation was carried out in conjunction with Salford City Council, which enforced eviction orders against some of the offenders arrested after the raids.

Supt Palmer said: "The end of March marks the end of the performance year.

"Across the board, we have seen a continuing reduction in overall crimes committed. In parts of Salford, over a three-year period, we have seen a reduction of 21.5 per cent which equates to more than a fifth fewer crimes committed."

Anyone with information about drug dealing should call police on 0161 872 5050 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

The dealers and their sentences

For supplying Class A drugs:Mark Farrell, aged 34, of no fixed abode, was jailed for five years.

Lee Watts, aged 37 of Old Wells Close, Little Hulton was sentenced to four-and-a-half years.

Eunice Masterson, aged 56, of Bolton Road, Bury, was jailed for three years.

Mark Nuttall, aged 34, of Manchester Road East, Little Hulton, was sentenced to three years and six months in prison.

Gareth Fearnhead, aged 27 of Park Street, Tyldesley, was jailed for three years six months.

Eugene Noonan, aged 40, of Carrfield Avenue, Little Hulton, was given a nine-month jail sentence suspended for 12 months and a 12-month supervision order.

Glynn Broadhurst, aged 36, of Sandwich Street, Walkden, was given a 12-month community order.

Wendy Pardon, aged 34 of Park Road, Walkden, was given a 12-month community order.

Carl Pendlebury, aged 19 of Fairhurst Drive, Little Hulton, was sentenced to 18 months in a young offenders' institution.

A 16-year-old from Little Hulton was given an 18-month supervision order.

Peter Lee, aged 39, of Kenyon Way, Little Hulton, was jailed for four years.

For being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs:

Paul Hankinson, aged 30, of New Lester Way, Little Hulton, was jailed for two years.

Paul Grimshaw, aged 36, of Darlington Street, Tyldesley, was given 18 months in prison.

Rebecca Prendergast, aged 28 of Ridyard Street, Walkden was sentenced to 18 months.

Peter Whittle aged 38, of Highgate Lane, Little Hulton, was given a nine-month jail sentence suspended for two years, ordered to take part in a drug treatment programme and given a 12-month supervision order.

David Dyson, aged 43, of Whittle Street, Walkden was jailed for nine months suspended for two years, given a two-year supervision order and a six-month drug treatment order.

Samantha Collins, aged 34, of Kenyon Way, Little Hulton, was given a nine-month jail sentence suspended for 18 months, ordered to take part in a six-month drug treatment programme and given an 18-month supervision order.

A 17-year-old from Little Hulton was given an 18-month community rehabilitation order.

Belinda Lee, aged 40, of Kenyon Way, Little Hulton, was sentenced to a two-month curfew.

Elysha Farrell, aged 30, of Ashton Filed Drive, Walkden will be sentenced on Friday, May 9.