YOUNG troublemakers will be individually targeted by police during a new operation to tackle juvenile nuisance in Pendle.

Operation Fervour is a new crackdown on a small number of people in areas such as Colne and Barnoldswick who are known to the whole community for their anti-social behaviour.

It was launched in response to a recent increase in criminal damage, particularly during school holidays.

Inspector Martin Holleran said: "With the wonderful weather during half term we had a large increase in the level of mindless criminal damage. When we have analysed the criminal damage in Colne and West Craven the people most likely to have been responsible were the youths on holiday from school.

"There are several youths who we know are committing crime but because we have to focus more on crimes such as burglaries in dwellings and theft of motor vehicle we sometimes leave these people alone too much.

"If we don't put intervention measures in through proper partnerships and get them at an early stage they will become our burglars in dwellings."

The operation is being described as a positive approach in which the police will work in partnership with the youths' parents.

Inspector Holleran said that if the youngsters' behaviour did not improve, the force would look at Acceptable Behaviour Orders and Anti-Social Behaviour Orders.

He said: "I have asked each sergeant responsible for the various areas of the towns to look at two or three individuals or two or three problem families who are causing us real problems with anti-social behaviour.

"I am getting the sergeants to identify several individuals in each area, through previous logs, crime activities, youth referral, police intelligence and bobbies own knowledge, and schools which we have good liaison with, in order to work with their parents to say 'What can we do to divert your children away from criminality and anti-social behaviour?'.

"These youths generally have parents or guardians who are not taking responsibilty for their children. We will do what we can but they have to make an effort too.

"They can't just say it's a lovely evening, go out and do what you want and we will see you at 10pm. I know cases where parents have provided their 13-year-old child with alcohol and told them to go off and drink it with friends because they are going out for the night.

"When we go and speak to the parents they say what are we meant to do."