A POLICE chief has called for action to tackle under age drinking following an attack by yobs which left him unconscious.

Detective Superintendent Dave Jones, a former head of Darlington CID, suffered multiple injuries and was left with permanent scarring to his face after he was caught up in a fracas in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.

His attackers, Lee Makin, 19, of Callerton Rise, Aycliffe, and Simon Kilpatrick, 18, of Deleval Close, Aycliffe, were sentenced last week at Teesside Crown Court to 18 months and 12 months, respectively, in a young offenders' institution.

Father-of-two Mr Jones, 48, who is based at police headquarters in Durham, said he was happy that justice had been done.

"I wouldn't want all youngsters to be tarred with the same brush," he said.

"There are countless young people who are a credit to themselves and their communities, and it would be unfair for them to be branded as hooligans because of the actions of a small minority.

"But when you get groups of teenagers on the streets, drinking under the legal age and whose parents have no idea where they are or what they are doing, it is clearly an issue that needs to be addressed."

Mr Jones had been off duty at the time of the attack, in Woodham Way, Newton Aycliffe, on March 13, last year.

He had gone to the aid of a neighbour who called police after he was abused by local youngsters.