POLICE are launching a campaign to keep a tighter check on pubs to prevent heavy drinkers causing trouble.

Officers will make extra evening patrols around all licensed premises in and around Barnard Castle, from Thursdays to Sundays.

Sergeant Bill Dutton, who is organising the operation, said: "We mean to clamp down hard on rowdy people who cause trouble for other customers.

"We will concentrate on pubs in Barnard Castle most of the time, but will also keep on eye on villages where carnivals are being held as they often attract troublemakers from other places."

Linda Sutherland, landlady of the Golden Lion in the town centre, said yesterday: "I welcome this, and other publicans will too, as nobody wants trouble.

"There has been a lot of bother in the town late at night and it will be a good thing if this can put a stop to it."

The campaign was announced after a fight in a pub in Staindrop, during a carnival last Saturday.

Police asked the village's three pubs to close after the trouble.

Sergeant Dutton said: "The landlords all agreed. The fighters realised they could get no more drink in the village so they all left. The pubs re-opened after a couple of hours and there was no more bother."

The plans were formed following a Home Office national initiative announced last Thursday to deal with drink-related offences.

Sergeant Dutton said: "The national effort is planned to last eight weeks but ours will go on indefinitely. We believe it will be welcomed by people who want to go out for a quiet drink, as well as local residents who have had to put up with rowdy behaviour and vandalism.

"We will enforce the licensing laws more stringently, make sure under-age customers are not served and deal quickly with anyone causing disturbances or fighting."

Three security cameras were recently placed in Barnard Castle town centre in an effort to catch vandals who had broken shop windows and damaged vehicles.