BARROW'S MP has welcomed the announcement that the town is to receive nearly £450,000 in a bid to tackle crime.

The money - £436,994 - is coming from the Government’s £25 million Safer Streets Fund.

It will be spent to tackle Barrow’s Salthouse Road area, which has been identified as a hotspot for criminal activity.

The funds will be used for new recruitment of community volunteers, installation of new street lighting in the back alleys and an upgrade of existing street lighting.

Simon Fell MP said: “In October last year I asked residents to complete a crime and anti-social behaviour survey.

“The response was unprecedented and, one of the key things to come out of the survey was the need for better lighting and more CCTV. Each response I received has been fed into the Government and I am pleased to see action now being taken in response."