A CRACKDOWN on under-age drinking in Teesdale has had a drastic effect in reducing the amount of anti-social behaviour.

Adults who have been buying alcohol for youngsters have been targeted by police as part of Operation Capone, which started last month to coincide with the beginning of the school holidays.

Police have been concentrating their efforts on the top ten hotspots for anti-social behaviour in Barnard Castle and the surrounding villages, and have seen complaints from residents drop by almost half.

Police have identified a number of people believed to be supplying alcohol to youngsters under 18 and are working with off-licences to reduce the problem.

One man has already been reported to court for the offence.

In the first three weeks of the holidays last year, there were 18 reports of anti-social behaviour compared with ten this year.