OPERATION Aslan has roared into Blackpool this summer to sink its claws into late-night drunken yobbery in town centre streets.

The operation, named after the heroic lion in CS Lewis's The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, is aimed at stamping down on unruly louts who pour out of pubs and clubs, striking fear into theatre-goers coming out of shows, getting into fights and damaging property.

Last year, Blackpool ran into a storm of bad publicity in the wake of TV programmes highlighting rampaging stag and hen parties making the town centre a no-go area for families and older people at night. But Aslan, due to run for three seasons, has already been a success in combating such anti-social behaviour, said co-ordinator PC Sean Sandham, with "significant reductions" in assaults, drunkenness, disorder and damage compared with last year.

"We assessed that most problems occurred in three zones - the town centre, an area at the back of the town centre near the bus station and in South Shore near the seafront."

He added: "What we do is put large numbers of officers in highly visible yellow jackets in those areas on foot patrol at the times we can expect most trouble, which is 11pm to 3am and beyond.

"We've told the officers to concentrate on assaults, disturbances, criminal damage and drunkenness.

"In the past they may have overlooked some incidents - now they should always take action to stop them escalating so they break up arguments before they come to blows.

One instance of preventing trouble before it started was simply to help form orderly queues at taxi ranks, stopping arguments breaking out.

The police have also co-opted the help of door staff at pubs and clubs to stop their patrons wandering out into the street with alcohol.

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