POLICE in Colne are clamping down on juvenile nuisance and anti-social behaviour problems in the town by capturing troublemakers on film.

Officers will be conducting regular patrols around hot spot areas in the town and openly filming any youths engaged in any acts of anti-social behaviour on a video camcorder loaned to them by a local electrical retailer.

The youths' details will be recorded and footage of the film will be shown to their parents, who police say are often oblivious to the effects their children's behaviour can have on other members of the community.

In extreme cases footage taken will be used to support any subsequent prosecution or application to the courts for an Anti Social Behaviour Order.

The project, which is part of Operation Flock, will be co-ordinated and primarily run by the Special Constabulary with support from regular officers at Colne Police Station.

The surveillance unit will also be used to deter night time disorder in Colne, Barnoldswick and Earby town centre during the festive period.

Sergeant Jon Puttock said: "We decided to launch this scheme to coincide with the impending Christmas school holiday period to assist in addressing problems in the town related to anti-social behaviour by a small proportion of youths who adversely affect the quality of life of some of the local residents in the town."

The scheme will be run in conjunction with the juvenile referral scheme that currently operates in the division.

Sgt Puttock said: "We are confident that this will demonstrate our commitment to the local community to address all incidents of juvenile nuisance and anti-social behaviour.

"We appreciate the adverse effect that such behaviour can have on the quality of life of local residents and hope this initiative will demonstrate the organisation's objective of making members of the local community feel safe, involved and reassured."