MORE than 100 cans and bottles of alcohol have been confiscated from youngsters in the Mill Hill area of Blackburn.

Police have seized dozens of bottles of wine, vodka, lager and cider from youngsters in the past three weeks.

Officers said they had also taken an intoxic-ated teenage girl home to her parents.

The action came as part of the Operation Shepherd crackdown on crime and disorder in Lancashire.

Sergeant Colin Dassow said: "Large groups of youngsters who gather in specific areas and act antisocially are disrup-ting the quality of local residents and Operation Shepherd aims to reduce incidents of anti social behaviour occurring in our neighbourhoods.

"As a result of information from members of the public about areas of concern, we are able to confiscate alcohol from underage drinkers.

"We rely on information from members of the public so we can target our resources to impact on inappropriate behaviour and I urge anyone with information to contact the police.

"This should send a strong message to those intent on causing trouble this Christmas that alcohol related crime and disorder will not be tolerated in our communities."