A CRIMEFIGHTING scheme will use dolphins and classical music to make vandals Bach off!

Bosses at Blackburn with Darwen Council believe art in the form of a dolphin mural and highbrow music will prove to be the natural enemies of gangs gathering in a Blackburn town centre subway.

The constant graffiti in the subway, which passes under Salford by Blackburn market, has cost taxpayers £10,000 a year for the past few years.

The idea came to light after numerous schemes up and down the country used classical music to successfully discourage gangs from gathering in places where vandalism was high.

A dolphin mural will also be painted on the subway walls in what is thought to be the first time a piece of artwork has been combined with classical music to discourage graffiti artists.

The last 12 months in particular has seen graffiti in the pedestrian subway increase, leading the council to draw up the £4,500 scheme.

Artist Susan Bohm, who lives and works in Blackburn, has been commissioned to do the mural and is expected to start painting the mural today.

The new look subway, complete with a sound system for the classical music to be played through, is expected to be complete within the next two weeks.

The council said a similar scheme has been used very successfully in Burnley.

Burnley councillor Roger Frost, who oversaw the development of the town's bus station in 2002 said that classical music had had "a calming effect" on gangs who had been gathering there.

He said: "I believe it has a had a calming effect and dissuaded gangs from hanging around, even though the idea was met with incredulity at first.

"Some people don't like the idea of having to listen to music that's not their taste, but it's quite light, jolly classical music - it's not operatic dirges or anything.

"Some like it and others either ignore it or put their own headphones on, but gangs don't like it at all."

A spokeswoman for the council said: "The dolphin theme mural will ensure there is no blank wall to encourage tagging by graffiti artists.

"Secondly, classical music will be played in the subway to discourage youths from hanging around."

Coun Salim Lorgat, executive member for housing and neighbourhoods, said: "This scheme will not only make the subway more attractive, it will also make it feel safer.

"And by discouraging graffiti, we will save the cost of the clean up for local taxpayers."