THE message to drinkers in Accrington is Crystal Clear -- don't do it on our streets.

From today town centre revellers will be asked to leave their bottles and glasses inside pubs and clubs as the Crystal Clear on-street drinking ban comes into force in the town.

The move is backed by new legislation passed by Hyndburn Borough Council this year and will be enforced by the police. Breach of the ban will be an arrestable offence.

It has been introduced in a bid to reduce town centre violence, in particular alcohol-related offences, and targets 18 to 25-year-olds.

Between January and July last year there were 106 reported incidents of violent crime in Accrington town centre and so far this year there have been 77 incidents. Violent crime includes woundings, assaults, public disorder and police assault.

Alongside the enforcement of the ban officers will be running the Crystal Clear awareness campaign highlighting public safety issues and focusing on people's behaviour.

Councillor Ian Ormerod, leader of the council, said: "We are working together as a Community Safety Partnership to make our town centre a safe place to visit. The Crystal Clear initiative goes a long way to securing that vision."

Licensees in the town centre will be supporting the ban by displaying a number of posters with graphic images and slogans in their premises, handing out flyers, and wearing T-shirts with the slogan 'eight pints, one glass, 25 stitches later' to reinforce the message.

Dave Archer, licensee of the Bridge public house on Church Street and a member of Accrington Pubwatch, said: "It is important that people feel safe when they come into the town centre, and licensees can help to achieve that."

Inspector Phil Cottam, Accrington's Police Commander, said: "

"We want to promote the town centre as a safe place to visit at all times and, as well as cutting down on violent crime and glass-related assaults, the ban shoud reduce the amount of litter in the town centre."

He added there would be an amnesty period for drinkers to get used to the new regime.

At the launch today was Sue Stafford, whose 20-year-old son was was scarred for life after being attacked by a man with a broken bottle last year when he tried to stop him assaulting two girls.

She said: "I fully support the introduction of this ban as anything that will reduce the amount of violence in the town centre should be welcomed. My son will carry those scars for the rest of his life and the effect the incident has had on him and the family, is difficult to put into words."