ACCRINGTON residents have given their overwhelming support to a proposal to ban drinking in their town centre which will come into effect in February.

The Hyndburn town will be the first in East Lancashire to make drinking in public places an arrestable offence and Blackburn, Darwen and Clitheroe are all due to adopt the system too.

New regulations came into force in September under the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 which granted councils the power to impose 'no drinking' zones in areas where it felt a nuisance or disorder existed as a result of public drinking.

Under the new regulations police would be able to demand people stop drinking and arrest them under existing public order laws if they refuse.

This will also extend to people drinking on benches in the town centre, which is a particular problem in Broadway.

A mobile police station was set up in between the market hall and bus station to educate shoppers and passers-by about the proposal and ask their views.

Hyndburn mayor Coun Dave Parkins also called into the mobile station to find out more about the scheme which will reduce town centre disorder.

Police in the unit said that everyone who called in supported the idea and were pleased that the no drinking areas will soon come into force.

But until the new legislation comes into effect a number of initiatives have been put in place to ensure a peaceful Christmas and New Year in the town centre. About 16 licensees in Accrington have joined forces to form a Pub Watch Scheme in a bid to combat town centre violence and disorder. This will see people barred from all pubs in the scheme for life if they fall foul of the law by committing acts of violence or damage or dealing drugs.

Other schemes include the Town Centre Door Scheme and the Radio Scheme.

Sergeant Julian Platt said: "People are going out over the Christmas time and there is a lot of 'silliness' as people go out straight from work without anything to eat and then drink a lot more alcohol than they would ordinarily.

"We want people to go out but to have a safe night and it seems that disorder is already plummeting through putting these schemes in place.

"The real troublemakers are altering their behaviour because of it so hopefully we will have a good Christmas and New Year."

The special mobile police station will also feature in the town on other occasions during the coming weeks to help cut back on the seasonal rise in pick-pocketing, theft and car crimes.

It is hoped that this increased presence by the police will put off criminals and in the coming months Inspector Phil Cottom intends to set up the unit in other areas through Hyndburn so that residents can call in, discuss issues with police officers and feel reassured in their own communities.