MOUNTED police and dog patrols were called to a problem-plagued Hyndburn park in a successful bid to slash juvenile nuisance.

The latest surveillance technology was used in the operation to help fight crime around Oswaldtwistle's Rhyddings Park from 6pm to midnight on Friday and Saturday.

Residents have complained about boozy and disruptive teenagers congregating at the park which has also been hit with vandalism.

PC Jane Lawrenson, area officer for Rhyddings Park, said: "Anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated and action will be taken. We have had numerous complaints of noise and of juveniles drinking alcohol and damaging property in the park.

Police were deployed from a television van which kept groups of youngsters under surveillance.

They confiscated and destroyed alcohol hidden in bushes and gathered details of 27 juveniles. PC Lawrenson described both nights as a success and added: "Most of the youths are decent and the majority we spoke to were doing nothing wrong and we did not take their details.

"But some of them have a total disregard for the residents."

Police said the problems in and around the park centred on 14 to 19-year-old boys and girls and had increased over the past six weeks.

The initiative was run under the new juvenile referral scheme which monitors and deals with repeat juvenile problems. Under the scheme, which started in the borough on Saturday and which is already operating successfully in Blackburn, letters will be sent to the parents of the 27 youths.

Their details will go into a juvenile database and if they appear on it again their school and an educational officer are also sent letters.

Action, such as making an anti-social behaviour order and a parenting order, can be taken if they appear for a third time.

Police said they will continue to patrol the park, particularly at weekends.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.