A BOY aged six was found among a group of alcohol-drinking youths during an undercover police crackdown on teenage yobs.

The youngster was discovered with his older cousin by police and council officers carrying out an operation aimed at tackling anti-social behaviour in Burnley.

During the nighttime sting, plain-clothes police travelled round in a Transdev bus and two liveried taxis as teenagers brazenly swigged alcohol in areas of the town.

As part of the operation, officers:

  • Handed out 14 youth referral orders for underage drinking and smoking
  • Seized half a litre of vodka, five litres of cider, almost six litres of lager and four litres of other spirits
  • Arrested two people for being drunk and disorderly
  • Detained a youth who jumped on a taxi bonnet as its terrified driver locked himself inside
  • Discovered the six-year-old boy dressed all in black hanging around with a group of teenagers in a dark street.

Afterwards, Acting Insp Phil Hutchinson, who led the initiative, hailed it a success but said officers were concerned to find the young boy among teenage drunks.

He said: “We went over to the boy because he looked so small and we found out he was just six-years-old.

“We then took him home to his mum and grandparents in Rosehill. It was far too late for him to be out.

“At six-years-old children don’t appreciate the dangers of being out and they don’t have the required skills to ensure their safety.”

Police will now work with council staff and others to ensure the boy is not taken out on to the streets of Burnley in such circumstances again.

Officers, who also cautioned a 22-year-old man for shining a green laser pen at police, hope Operation Trojan will reassure residents that anti-social behaviour is being taken seriously.

Insp Hutchinson added: “This was the second time we had run an exercise as part of Operation Trojan, dealing with groups of kids drinking alcohol.

“I hope this firm action helps to reassure local bus and taxi drivers and users that where problems exist, we will take action.

“The lad who was jumping on the taxi was an idiot and using it like a trampoline.

"He has now taken a taxi off the road because its roof caved in.

"It’s absolutely mindless and completely irresponsible behaviour.”

Rick Wilson, from Lancashire County Council’s safer travel unit, said: “We will continue to work with the Burnley MAPS team, the special constabulary, Transdev and other agencies to ensure that anti-social behaviour and criminality on the bus network and local communities is reduced.

"There is no room for this type of activity in Burnley.”

The operation was also backed by Rosehill with Burnley Wood councillor Frank Ashworth, who said police deserved praise for being “proactive, not reactive”.

He added: “It does not surprise me that they found a six-year-old on the street at night in Rosehill because we get quite a lot of teenagers gathering and they bring the little ones with them.

“I get loads of phone calls from residents about youths congregating on street corners and filling themselves up with alcohol so I think these are the measures we should be using in an effort to stem the drinking and anti-social behaviour.”