HEAD teachers will go on patrol with the police as part of a crackdown on under-age drinking in Pendle this summer.

Operation Flock will be launched at the weekend in a high-profile drive to tackle the problems of young drinkers and juvenile nuisance.

Rules regarding trouble-makers have been tightened up to make sure the parents of persistent offenders are fully aware of the problems they are causing.

Mounted officers and dog patrols will be used to get the anti-drink message across at known 'hot spots' where youngsters congregate, including Alkincoats Park and the Subway youth club in Colne, and Barnoldswick town centre.

The heads of Park, Primet and Fisher-More high schools are working with the police to highlight the dangers of alcohol through lessons in the classroom.

The police have also spoken to the owners of local off-licences, pointing out the law regarding the illegal sale of alcohol to children and distributed posters highlighting the issue.

"Under-age drinking and juvenile nuisance is a particular problem during the summer and especially over school holidays," explained Sergeant June Prophet, of Colne police, who is spearheading the campaign. "We realise we can't solve the problem on our own if we end up just going back to the same areas time and again and we're looking to get other people involved in this operation to help us tackle this important issue."

Sgt Prophet said everyone involved in the campaign is working to solve the problem. She stressed the Subway has a strict anti drink and drugs policy and that problems occurred outside, rather than inside the Exchange Street youth club.

Officers will use high profile policing methods throughout May and continue to be extra vigilant through the summer. A juvenile nuisance register will be kept and the parents of trouble-makers will be sent a letter asking them to keep their children under control.

"In the past children causing a nuisance could be spoken to by a number of officers but there was never a record kept," explained Sgt Prophet. "Now a register will be kept and any young person spoken to twice by an officer will have a letter sent to their parents and we will be looking for their support."

Last month a 15-year-old local boy was taken to hospital after falling unconscious after drinking half a bottle of whisky in the town centre. Last August the town's annual blues music festival was blighted by under-age drinkers roaming the streets until the early hours.