A ROSSENDALE town is to become one of the first in the country to be hit with new police powers to crack down on illegal drinking.

Police in Ramsbottom are to use new alcohol test strips to check whether people are disguising alcohol in soft drinks or drinking in an alcohol restricted zones. The move comes after police received dozens of complaints about underage drinkers roaming the town's streets during recent weeks.

The new hi-tech kit will help officers to find out whether a drink contains alcohol, and not have to rely on the old technique of either sniffing or sampling the drink.

Police say the technology is new to crime fighting with only two other forces in the UK using the kit to test suspect drinks.

The new testing strips are expected to make it easier and quicker for officers to identify illegal drinkers, confiscate the alcohol and reduce anti-social behaviour.

PC Helen Tildesley, licensing officer for Bury police, said the kit would be used in Ramsbottom as part of a police operation to tackle juvenile nuisance in the near future.

She added: "This new testing kit promises to be a real help in our fight to stop illegal drinking and the anti-social behaviour that can be the result of it.

"Now there is no need to get into arguments with illegal drinkers over whether there is alcohol in the soft drinks can or bottle that they are drinking from.

"A quick test gives an indisputable result, and the officer can then take the necessary action. The message is clear if you are underage drinking or drinking where you should not be, we have the technology to catch you out don't do it!"

The new testing kit is quick and simple to use and highly portable consisting of a supply of small strips of chemically treated card.

A small quantity of the liquid is poured into a disposable drink container and a simple dip test gives the result if the card turns blue, the liquid contains alcohol.

A colour chart on the back of the strip helps users assess the alcoholic strength of the fluid. The system is able to detect alcohol content down to 0.02 per cent, the strength of pre-packed shandy.

The strips can also be used to ensure that youngsters in licensed premises do not have alcohol mixed into their soft drinks.