A SCHEME which will help pubs and clubs in Redcar to keep troublemakers out started yesterday.

Nineteen premises in Redcar, including all eight nightclubs, have joined the PubWatch Radio scheme and been given hand-held radios so they can share information to help protect themselves and their premises.

It will work in a similar way to the highly successful Shoplink scheme, now used by about 50 shops in Redcar to help combat shoplifting.

Sergeant Alan Evans said: "Information sharing is the key. If there is a problem in one pub, it may migrate to another pub.

"If there is a problem with an individual, who is violent or taking drugs, for example, it is shared immediately with other establishments.

"There is an exclusion scheme and pubs signed up to it all share that exclusion so that troublemakers are kept out of all the premises."

He said the scheme would enable the police to monitor situations directly.

"There will be a direct link to police who will have one of the radios.

"Being faced with an aggressive customer is not an easy situation for staff to deal with and they often need extra help.

"The radio link may enable us to respond more quickly to an incident."

Participants to the scheme, which was set up jointly by Cleveland Police Licensing Officer Louise Burden and Apex Radio Systems, will be able to use the radios for free for a month.

It is then expected to cost around £20 to £25 a month for batteries and insurance.