POLICE investigating a spate of graffiti in a coastal resort are hoping to track down the perpetrators through their exercise books.

Graffiti artists often leave behind signatures called tags in examples of their work, and it is possible they would make similar marks in their school work.

The crackdown, Operation Stag, is being run by PC Jez Pratt, a community officer in Scarborough.

It is thought messages daubed on buildings in the town bear a collection of signatures which may belong to different groups competing with each other.

Three secondary schools have displayed photographs of the tags in their staff rooms, and teachers are being urged to look out for them in exercise books, art folders and on school bags.

PC Pratt said: "The schools are working very closely with us. It is not a case of us rushing in and arresting pupils.

"As a beat officer I noticed a particular problem with graffiti, some of it offensive. I heard of a similar scheme from a colleague in a different force and decided to try it here.

"Even if we don't arrest one person, if we highlight the problem in the schools and media and stop some of the graffiti, then that is half the battle."