A TOWN hopes to launch a scheme to help to tackle violence on its streets and in its pubs.

Police say street violence and violence in pubs in Guisborough is on the increase but say the No Winners in this Fight campaign would help to improve the safety of visitors and residents.

It is hoped that £34,000 funding for the two-year campaign, which will complement high-profile police presence, will be approved by Guisborough Market Town Initiative.

Cleveland Police will then work in partnership on the scheme, with organisations including Guisborough Business Association, Guisborough Town Council, Pubwatch and Arriva.

The partners intend to buy items to promote the scheme, including pizza boxes, beer mats and T-shirts for bar staff with the No Winners in this Fight message printed on them. These would be distributed free. There would also be message boards at exits to pubs, signs on Arriva buses, and a handheld camcorder would also be bought.

Certain pubs would be installed with CCTV and landlords would be given lollipops to distribute to customers at closing time.

Cleveland Police say they are still waiting for the outcome of a decision on funding for the project, but when it is cleared, they would manage the fund with Redcar and Cleveland Community Safety Partnership.

Insp Jim Brown said: "I trust that the initiative will make a sustainable difference in the policing of Guisborough and will make the town a more pleasurable and safer place for residents to enjoy."

Coun Bill Clarke, chairman of Guisborough Town Council, said: "If funding is given we feel this would drive down anti-social behaviour seen in Guisborough on Friday and Saturday nights.

"The problems are sporadic, not endemic, and occur now and again when people have had too many drinks.

"This initiative is not heavy-handed, but looks at other ways of tackling the problem.

"It's hoped that funding will be found for a further initiative which would use Guisborough as a pilot town to help evaluate the impact of any late licensing."