POLICE have emphasised there will be no let up in the drive to cut crime across North Yorkshire during Christmas.

Operation Ratcatcher was launched last month across the county, encouraging people to report lawbreakers.

Since then, officers have been able to act on 65 tip-offs - and this week Superintendent Kevin Doyle, who has been co-ordinating the project, said he hoped the trend would continue.

"The Ratcatchers will still be operating during the season of goodwill," he said. "Thieves are traditionally active in the run-up to Christmas, and we will be out there looking for them."

Leads supplied by the public have also led to investigations into allegations of robbery, burglary, sexual offences, the misuse of drugs - including crack cocaine, heroin and ecstasy - vehicle crime and drink-driving.

A total of 80 arrests connected to calls to Crimestoppers have been made in the county in the past month, although not all could be attributed to Operation Ratcatcher.

"Some of the information from the local community results in direct arrests but, in the majority of cases, the intelligence becomes part of a deeply intense and complicated jigsaw puzzle illustrating a much larger picture of criminal behaviour," said Crimestoppers co-ordinator Detective Constable Hugh Carruthers.

Intelligence is also being received about criminals who travel to North Yorkshire from areas including West Yorkshire, Humberside, Cleveland and Merseyside.

"The response from the community has been amazing, with people showing they want to rid the streets of North Yorkshire of drug dealers and other criminals," said Det Con Carruthers.

"I would like to thank all those who have taken the trouble to call us."