SUMMER'S here, the sun is shining - and the drunks are out in force.

The curse of our town centres shows no signs of disappearing. Indeed, if recent events around Blackburn's Boulevard are anything to go by, it's a problem that's getting worse.

And it's not a problem limited to Blackburn. Burnley and Accrington too seem to have more than their fair share of inhabitants for whom strong cider and cheap lager appears to be the only way of getting through the day.

These are the same towns which, quite rightly, are spending council tax payers' money on schemes to make their centres supposedly better places to visit.

Fat chance of that as long as gangs of the great unwashed stagger around uttering profanities, intimidating innocent passers-by.

"But we're not doing any harm," claim the winos.

Well. I'm sorry but you are. You're harming the town centre environment, the reputation of our boroughs and the whole atmosphere of them being friendly places to shop.

There is too much competition around to allow this problem to go unchecked.

Plus the fact that it's everyone's right to feel safe and secure in their own town centres.

Police have been granted powers to act if anyone is caught drinking in public. So get out there and exercise that power.

The time for pussyfooting around the problem has gone. Can or bottle in hand should mean a trip to the cells. Anyone staggering around swearing at innocent members of the public, lock 'em up.

The only way to rid the streets of these nuisance drunks is not to show sympathy, but to show authority.