AN eight-week blitz on alcohol misuse in a North-East city led to more than 300 arrests for drink-related crime.

However, police point out that the arrests are set against a backdrop of about one million visitors to Newcastle during the past two months.

As part of the National Alcohol Misuse Enforcement Campaign, Newcastle police joined other forces across the country to clamp down on the illegal selling and irresponsible consumption of alcohol.

Officers worked with city council licensing and trading standards staff, as well as pubs and retailers, in a targeted programme of enforcement to prevent sales to underage or drunk people, and serving beyond licensed hours.

During the period, there were 343 arrests, mainly for being drunk and disorderly. There were a total of 850 police visits to licensed premises and 30 joint visits involving council officials.

There were 28 confiscations of alcohol and eight under-age drinkers found in licensed premises.