Police promise action on weekend violence and disorder

Drink-fuelled violence and late-night disorder may be curbed as West Mercia Police crack down with patrols in town centres including Kidderminster, Stourport and Bewdley at weekends.

Eleven per cent of violent crime is in town centres 6pm-6am, say officers, with most early on Sundays - midnight and 4am - after pub and club closing times.

There are five times as many violent crimes on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday than on a Thursday.

Operation Viscount involves high-visibility foot patrols on Friday and Saturday nights 8pm-4am.

Sgt Bjorn Havinga, of West Mercia Police, said: "We want to ensure that people can enjoy nights out without fear or threat of violence.

"By tackling minor incidents of disorder early on, we hope it will prevent more serious incidents occurring later, and we hope the high visibility patrols will reassure both pub and club staff and customers. We want to ensure that people can enjoy nights about without fear or threat of violence."

Pubs and clubs will be taking part in a Pubwatch scheme in which officers have direct radio contact with door staff and management.

As well as arrests, police will be able to force people from public areas using section 27 notices, penalty fines of up to £80.