OPERATION Arrival steamed into Blackpool and Fylde this week, aimed at turning back the waves of holiday criminals.

Some 100 police are involved in the high-profile operation to combat a seasonal upsurge in car crime, public disorder, anti-social behaviour, road accidents, theft and burglary.

Easter marks a steep rise in Fylde Coast crime which carries on through the holiday season - giving central Blackpool a crime rate seven times the national average.

Now, instead of cutting back duties during bank holidays the police will be out in force, working with licensees, CCTV, car park supervisors, DSS and voluntary groups.

Det Sgt Pat Gill said the tactics had already been successful. On Saturday (March 27), advance information of out-of-town football hooligans arriving to ransack a pub led to a high police presence and the hooligans left without trouble.

Blackpool and Fylde commanding officer Supt Richard Taylor said: "Rather than waiting for something to go wrong it's better to try and get ahead of the troublemakers and avoid trouble." High numbers of police will be on the streets on holiday weekends late at night and in the early morning, when up to 40,000 people emerge from Blackpool's clubs, with predictable fights and drunkenness.

Other operations are already running. Operation Aslan targets disorder hot-spots not only in Blackpool but Kirkham and parts of Lytham St Annes.

Car crime is already coming down steeply thanks to Operation Atlas. There were 230 car-crimes this March compared with 519 in March 1998. Similarly burglaries are down more than 50 per cent, with 200 last March and 92 in March 1999.

Blackpool and Fylde mayors, Couns Henry Mitchell and Anne Smith, were at the Operation Arrival launch.

Coun Mitchell said: "This is long overdue. Blackpool is having a fresh beginning, aiming to bring families back, and I think they're going to feel a lot safer knowing the police are there looking after their interests." Coun Smith said: "It's an extremely useful way of using police time to greater effect. I particularly welcome the fact that it's being operated throughout the Fylde, not just Blackpool."

Fleetwood division is also running a high visibility operation in Fleetwood, Thornton, Cleveleys and Poulton during Easter.

Police will be focusing on known hot-spots, burglary and related crimes, juvenile nuisance and disorder, and special constables will be drafted in to help.

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