POLICE in Preston and Leyland have hailed a special operation to curb alcohol related crime over the bank holiday weekend a success.

Operation Nightsafe used high profile patrols to target known trouble spots, enforce street drinking bans, and carry out random tests on stores and off-licences to discourage owners from selling alcohol to underage drinkers.

The operation was a coordinated effort by police across the county, designed to curb alcohol related crime and accidents.

Police in Preston city centre recorded a 23 percent drop in violent crime over the weekend, compared to the same bank holiday weekend last year, and woundings were also down 38 percent.

Inspector Dave Asbridge, in charge of the Preston operation, said "It was a successful operation, and I am sure that we will be doing it again in the future.

"However, we can see that of violent crimes over the weekend 78 percent were alcohol related.

"We are achieving reductions, but alcohol is clearly a significant factor and still a priority for us."

Police in Leyland carried out the operation as part of their own Operation Calm which specifically targets local youths and under age drinking issues.

Sergeant Shirley Osborne, of Leyland police, said: "The operation had a very positive start with a number of hotspots and off-licences being visited by police over the bank holiday weekend.

"A number of youths were found to be drinking underage and numerous amounts of alcohol was seized and confiscated. This kind of activity will continue to be targeted over the forthcoming months."

Over the weekend ten juvenile referral forms were issued to parents of youths found drinking.

Operation Nightsafe was carried out following the release of figures in April, by the British Crime Survey, which revealed alcohol accounts for about half of violent crime.

The Office of National Statistics estimates the annual cost of alcohol misuse to be £20 billion, and 88 percent of criminal damage to result from alcohol.