A TEENAGE graffiti artist was caught out after targeting a bus with undercover police on board.

The youth was made to clear up his ‘Blest’ tag, before being taken home to his parents and given a £50 fixed penalty notice.

The youngster had sprayed graffiti on the rear of the single decker bus as it passed through the Shadsworth area of Blackburn on Friday night.

But unbeknown to the 15-year-old, he had targeted the police's Operation Trojan bus - used to catch those who carry out criminal damage on public service vehicles.

The bus has previously been used to catch yobs who injured a driver by hurling stones at a bus's windows.

The bus was deployed to Shadsworth after residents complained of youths causing a nuisance and vandalising property.

Officers in plain clothes rode on the bus, while another police team followed behind it to monitor events.

The bus had passed a gang of teens in Ballantrae Road and when it went by a second time the 15-year-old ran along after it and sprayed the graffiti on its rear panel.

The youngster fled but officers caught him a couple of streets away.

He was taken to the depot to clean off the tag and then taken home.

Sergeant Andy Winter, who led the operation said: "This was an example of instant restorative justice.”

Officers also concentrated their efforts on the Brookhouse, Bastwell and Highercroft areas, where 10 children were given warnings for drinking alcohol on the streets.

Police confiscated 24 cans of lager, 12 bottles of alcopos and several bottles of wine.

Sgt Winter said: "We will not tolerate any type of anti-social behaviour.

"We had complaints about the group in Shadsworth which is why we focused our resources in this area.

"We will continue to work with our partners to target this sort of behaviour and will be running similar operations in the future."