BINGE drinkers blighting East Lancashire town centres and communities face a massive police crackdown this Bank Holiday weekend.

For the second Bank Holiday running, police are mounting an operation across the county to tackle the scourge of drunken violence.

Gangs of youths in communities face having their alcohol confiscated in police swoops, and extra patrols will be in town centres.

Off-licences will be monitored, with test purchases to catch out those selling to the under 18s.

Problem pubs and bars face unannounced swoops by police at busy times to ensure order is being maintained.

Bank Holidays are being targeted because the amount of drunken disorder traditionally rises.

Over the May Bank Holiday weekend, police arrested 213 people for drunkenness and issued 24 fines of up to £80 for disorder.

Some 214 people had alcohol taken off them in the street, with a further 138 confiscations from young people.

A dozen off-licences are facing court action after being caught selling alcohol to the under 18s and another 12 caught selling to drunken people. Police visited 655 licensed premises unannounced over the weekend. Officers also made 533 patrols of juvenile nuisance troublespots.

Chief Inspector Jon Donnelly, co-ordinating Operation Nightsafe, said: "Nightsafe is an intelligence-led response to identified alcohol-related problems and is designed to educate the public and partners about alcohol misuse.

"Our communities are tired of the aggressive and violent behaviour of alcohol-fuelled youths, and the drunken vandalism that is a consequence of binge drinking.

"We want people to have a good time, but to make sure their behaviour does not impinge on the ability of others to do likewise."

Members of the Police Authority; the licensing trade; and Sue Crabb, a prosecutor with an expertise in anti-social behaviour legislation; will accompany police.

Sue said: "Accompanying officers on this patrol will help me see things from the point of view of victims and potential witnesses."