The Police Commissioner visited residents to see the impact of almost £2,500 worth of crime-fighting funding.

Piggy Park Community Garden Association, in Rishton, received £2,424 from the Commissioner’s Community Action Fund over the past several months to build a fence and a metal shed to store gardening equipment for community use.

The site, which was formerly a Hyndburn council recreational ground, has previously been affected by anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping and is now an environmental education space for schools.

Lancashire PCC Clive Grunshaw said it was “fantastic” to see the impact the funding has had for young people in the area.

He added: “The local community are doing a fantastic job encouraging people to get involved and are also reducing incidents of anti-social behaviour, vandalism and theft.

“I am committed to working with residents in Hyndburn and other community groups to support them in keeping their local area safe and reducing crime.

“This is what my Community Action Fund is all about, providing small grants to assist groups in tackling any local concerns.”

Rishton ward councillor Clare Cleary said Hyndburn council and residents were ‘extremely grateful’ to Mr Grunshaw for his support, which has helped eliminate certain problems in the area.

She said: “It is great that he has given the project some money and the whole community can now see the benefits.

“You don’t get fly tipping, and vandalism is nonexistent now that the fence has gone up.

“I am really looking forward to summer time so that we can get lots of gardening done.”

Clive Grunshaw with Lottie Smith and Tilly Hurst of St Charles' RC School, Rishton

The area was previously subject to a high level of dog fouling and has also suffered from break-ins with people targeting residents’ garages which back on to the site.

Bikes, tools and other personal possessions have previously been taken from the grounds.

Coun Jeff Scales, who applied for the commissioner’s funding, said: “This is a fantastic fund to enable us to make our community a safer place.

“Fundamentally this project is about preventing break-ins and theft on the site.

“We therefore hope that over the next year we are able to avoid any break-ins and thefts as a result of this investment.”