LATE-NIGHT drinkers need never worry about having cash for a taxi home again - after a firm installed credit card swipe machines in its cars.

Betty's Private Hire, based in Rishton, is believed to be the first in East Lancashire to give people the chance to put their cab on a card.

Boss Monty Hunt, of Accrington, who bought the firm three years ago, said he hopes the card machine will make both drivers and customers feel safer.

He said: "It means our drivers don't have to carry around so much money and our customers don't feel the need to have money on them to get a taxi.

"We're the first in East Lancashire to have these machines.

"We have 23 drivers and all their cars will be fitted with the machines soon.

"Hopefully, it will mean that people who find themselves short of cash at the end of a night out will call us, put it on their credit card and pay it off when the bill comes."

The machine connects to a mobile phone line run by Orange, and the card's details are read and authorised by the card provider. Customers then sign a receipt, and the firm's bank account is credited at the end of every week with the cash they are owed.

In recent years, attacks on cab drivers have increased, with police fearing they are seen as a soft target by thugs.

Hyndburn councillor David Myles today praised the scheme.

He said: "It's good to see companies doing things like this to make Hyndburn safer."