PLANS to stop people drinking alcohol in public places in three East Lancashire towns could be enforced within the next few weeks.

Ribble Valley Borough Council has joined forces with local police to implement the boozing ban and has called on Clitheroe and Longridge Town Councils and Whalley Parish Council, licensees and landowners to back the scheme and bring it into force as soon as possible.

Once in operation, it could leave drinkers facing arrest if they fail to comply with police instructions, ordering them to stop.

Two weeks ago, Blackburn launched a similar scheme with an exclusion zone set up in some town centre streets.

Under the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2000, local authorities can apply to place a restriction in drinking in certain public places, like town centres, where drinkers have been a nuisance to the public, or where disorder offences are committed.

While it will not be an offence to drink alcohol in public, people could face arrest if they refuse to stop when asked by police.

Insp Bob Ford of Clitheroe police has given his backing to the scheme and has suggested all public places within Clitheroe, Longridge and Whalley become designated areas.

The no-booze zone suggested for Clitheroe covers all streets within the boundaries between Eshton Terrace, Thorn Street, Bawdlands, Station Road, Railway View Road, Waddington Road, Waterloo Road, Peel Street, Queensway and Greenacre Street.

It will also include the main thoroughfares of Castle Street, King Street and Lowergate.

A draft map has also been drawn up for Longridge, but councillors want it extending to cover other areas they consider vulnerable.

These include King Street, Market Place, Kestor Lane, Derby Road and Berry Lane, and land outside Stonebridge off-licence, Kim Yin chip shop and the yard at the side of the White Bull in Higher Road.

Other areas pencilled in are the Civic Hall car park, Irwell Street, Fell Brow, Chapel Street, Preston Road and land next to the Duke William and Old Oak public houses.

In Whalley, no drinking zone will focus on streets around Station Road, King Street and Accrington Road.

Chief Insp Neil Smith, of Lancashire Constabulary's Eastern division, said: "I am happy to support the council's wish to exercise their powers under the Act.

"This legislation will support on-going crime and disorder initiatives, particularly in the cases of town centre disorder and anti-social behaviour where drinking to excess is a well-documented contributory factor."

In a bids to combat crime and vandalism in Clitheroe, a new high-tech CCTV system is to be installed in the town at a cost of over £600,000.

Mobile cameras, included in this package, will be available for use in Whalley, Longridge and surrounding areas.