OH BEHAVE! That's the warning to revellers who face being barred from 20 town centre pubs by an Austin Powers-themed pubwatch scheme.

Licensees, the police and council have joined forces to form 'Bar U' to stamp out night time disorder in Blackburn.

For the first time, town centre pubs will be connected to the radio security system used by shops and the police during the day. It will enable them to share intelligence on any trouble makers swiftly.

Anyone charged with violence or anti-social behaviour or found drug dealing will be barred from all 20 pubs connected to Bar U. Offenders will then be served with a legal notice informing them of their punishment.

'Bar U' is launched on one of the busiest nights of the year tomorrow with staff at the pubs dressing up in 1970s clothing to tie in with the spoof spy Austin Powers. And posters around the town centre are bearing slogans from the film, such as "Oh Behave!" and "Yeah Baby!", to promote Bar U.

The Austin Powers theme has been chosen to appeal to the 18 to 25 age group, who will be affected by the initiative on their weekend nights out.

Blackburn's previous Pubwatch scheme has dwindled over the years, but successes in Accrington, Darwen and Clitheroe have prompted licensees to resurrect it. But the name has been forsaken because it was judged unrepresentative of the amount of bars which now dominate the town's night life.

Bar U has been six months in the making and two-thirds of the town centre pubs have signed up.

Inspector Ian McCann said that while the launch night had a fun theme, the message behind the slogans was serious. "