A POLICE officer last night called on parents to stop turning "a blind eye" to their children's yobbish behaviour.

Meanwhile, a sober, written warning will drop on the doormats of scores of homes across Middesbrough - spelling out to parents that future anti-social behaviour from their offspring will not be tolerated.

The move follows a wave of spotchecks on youngsters misbehaving - some under the influence of alcohol.

Officers from Cleveland Police have spoken to 150 youngsters during the past two weeks about under-age drinking, 97 of them on the past two Friday nights alone. The force has sent letters to the parents of 75 of the tearaways.

Areas targeted so far by the police - following complaints from local residents - are Coulby Newham, Brookfield and Acklam in Middlesbrough, and North Ormesby.

Police Inspector Andy Stohlner said: "Parents seem to be closing their eyes to what is going on.

"I find it hard to believe that a child can, after consuming a large amount of alcohol, go home and the parents are unable to recognise the effects,'' he said.

In an effort to clean up the town and under-age drinking, Cleveland Police plan a further 24 swoops on neighbourhoods under the mantle Operation United Estates, before the end of the year.