PROBLEMS with people drinking on the streets of Blackburn came to a head when the first man prosecuted for swigging booze within the town centre alcohol-free zone was seen with a bottle of sherry just minutes after leaving court.

Anthony Smith, 21, was given a conditional discharge by magistrates, whose powers with regard to the new laws are limited.

He was immediately back out on the streets. The situation was condemned by traders and church leaders who agreed the situation was a farce and called for tougher punishments.

Chief Reporter Jamie Diffley headed out on the "Bouley Beat" to see what was being done.

AN unusually sunny afternoon bathed Blackburn town centre. Such a day would normally act as a magnet for the drinkers who made Blackburn Boulevard their own.

The sight of the 'Bouley gang' sprawled over the green benches, clasping two-litre bottles of beer and cider had become commonplace -- and very unwelcome.

Ronnie O' Keefe, president of the Blackburn Chamber of Trade, summed up what shoppers and residents of the town were thinking when he said it dissuaded visitors coming into Blackburn.

Things came to a head last month when disgraceful scenes broke out, lasting more than five hours. Motorists were forced to swerve to avoid drinkers as they staggered across the road. One was seen to beat up a girl, leading to the police being called and arrests made.

Two weeks earlier religious leaders had criticised police for not clamping down on the drinkers, whom they said were desecrating cathedral grounds.

Discarded bottles and cans had even blocked a drain, causing water to run into the crypt and ruin a £600 alter brocade.

Last week 21-year-old Anthony Seamus Smith became the first person to be prosecuted for breaching the drinking ban. Moments after receiving a conditional discharge, Smith was seen drinking from a bottle of sherry. which typifies the problems faced by police.

However, on the day I went for my exploratory stroll, things were quiet. The benches were empty, save for the odd office worker eating lunch, and the cathedral grounds relatively litter free.

Nearly five months after police introduced the drinking ban on the town centre, the signs were that it seemed to be effective. PC Andy Maltman, whose beat covers the town centre and was instrumental in bringing about the first court case, said: "A lot of people have criticised us recently, but the ban is definitely working.

"It's still relatively early days but you can see the impact. We have reduced the numbers of incidents and the town centre is a nicer place to be. When people come to Blackburn they see the Boulevard first and we want to reassure them it is safe."

The drinking ban was was implemented in Blackburn Town Centre after police liaised with Blackburn with Darwen Council.

All streets within the Blackburn orbital route became an official no-go area for outdoor boozers on March 1 when councils and the police were given the power to impose dry zones, where it was expected to reduce crime.

Officers can tell drinkers to get rid of alcohol containers safely, or be arrested. They can be charged and face a fine of up to £500.

Although the drinkers are not blighting the Boulevard, PC Maltman faces a continuous battle to monitor their activities.

Halfway through his beat he spotted a well-known female drinker. She looked much older than the mid-20s she actually is and carried a plastic bag, clinking with bottles.

PC Maltman began to follow. Aware of his presence. she began a cat and mouse chase. Entering pubs before darting out the back way, she soon became lost in the throng of the afternoon crowd, her plans for a street tipple thwarted.

But it's not just drunks whom PC Maltman monitors. Moments after ending his pursuit of the woman with the plastic bag, he saw a dishevelled man begging on the corner of Johnson Street near the shopping centre.

PC Maltman recognised him and moved him on, logging the incident so that if it is repeated, the beggar can be arrested.

Then his radio crackled into life informing him of a theft. It was the first of many calls he was to receive during his shift. He said: "It is the job of the police to protect the public and that is how I see my role."