PUBLICANS at a town's most popular watering holes are putting up a united front to crackdown on drunken disorder over the festive period.

Drinkers stepping out of line at any one of five pubs in Seaham, east Durham, face a minimum of one-year ban under the get-tough policy.

The police-backed Pub-Watch scheme has come into force on the run up to the busy Christmas period at The Kestrel, The Phoenix, The Mill Inn, The Mallard and Brown's, formerly the Red Star.

Should it prove successful during the forthcoming festive period, it could be extended to other licensed premises across the town.

Customers who deal in drugs, indulge in under-age drinking, or who become involved in violent behaviour, will be swiftly met with an exclusion order by the group of licensees, barring the offender from all five premises.

Police in Seaham are pleased at the response to the scheme by the landlords involved.

Sergeant Gary Webb said: "The publicans are united in their insistence that they will not tolerate unruly behaviour.

"By joining forces, they believe the threat of being barred from all five premises will have a real sobering effect on those who might be bent on trouble."

Sgt Webb said many of the regulars who frequent the five pubs are drawn from the neighbouring Westlea and Eastlea areas of Seaham.

"Many of the locals tour these pubs during the course of an evening and often finish off their night at the Phoenix, which has a late licence until 1am on Friday and Saturday nights.

"It would be wrong to exaggerate the problems of the area and imply things are out of control.

"But, there are pockets of difficulty from time to time, and by sticking together the licensees feel they can defeat the small minority responsible."

He said individual landlords and their staff who have taken a stand against the troublemakers have, previously, been met with violence, or threats and intimidation.

Sgt Webb said: "The police are backing the scheme and we will escort from the premises any barred regular who tries to get back in."

He said any such breach of the exclusion order would be reported to the courts amid any subsequent proceedings.