A CRACKDOWN on alcohol-related anti-social behaviour in Pendle resulted in 115 arrests, police have revealed.

Figures from Pendle police also revealed that officers made 256 alc-ohol seizures during Operation Summer Ni-ghts, which ran between Monday, July 7 and Monday, September 1.

Police said the aim of the campaign was not to stop anyone enjoying alcohol, but to enc-ourage them to drink ‘sensibly’ in a way that will not lead to crime or cause accidents.

The figures reveal that in Colne, Nelson and West Craven, police also made 115 arrests for alcohol-related crimes, including criminal damage and drunk and disorderly.

A total of 229 visits were made by police, licensing officers and trading standards off-icials to public houses while a further 275 visits were paid to off licenses.

Police said the cam-paign, which aimed to tackle and prevent alcohol-related anti-social behaviour across the borough, saw good results in every target area.

Sgt Mark Baines, of Nelson Police, said: “From our point of view it’s been absolutely brilliant.

“People are beginning to understand the ethos behind Operation Summer Nights and see that we’re trying to make things better by preventing alcohol harm and improving safety and pubs and licensed premises.

“We have had tre-mendous support from off-licenses and pubs in Pendle, which have wel-comed us in because they all understand that we’re trying to help the community.”

As part of the multi-agency scheme, which included Lancashire Constabulary, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service and the North West Ambulance Trust, there were 29 alcohol test purchases operations carried out.

Youths were issued with direction to leave notices on 32 different occasions, meaning they had to vacate a specific area or risk being arrested and 131 people were stopped and searched by police in ‘hotspot’ areas.

Sgt Baines added: “We’re committed to carrying on with this kind of work and I’m sure similar schemes will be repeated in the future.”