OPERATION Calm, Leyland police's bid to prevent gangs of youths from causing trouble during the summer holidays, has been heralded a success.

The scheme, set up to foster a greater awareness between groups of youths and those who feel threatened by them, was so successful that it was extended.

Sergeant Neil Sladen of Leyland Police said: "It has been a proactive rather than reactive scheme. We have spent time talking to children before they get drunk and potential trouble occurs."

Rather than arresting a child and taking them to court Operation Calm had a referral system which involved the parents, the child's school and, if needed, a specific care conference being set-up.

Sergeant Sladen said: "It is a broad-based partnership approach. It has involved going to off-licences that are selling alcohol to underage youths, giving information leaflets out and also visiting people who have complainedand letting people know that kids gathered on street corners is not an offence in itself."

David Borrow, MP for South Ribble, went out with the police on the initiative.