POLICE seized 100 cans and bottles of alcohol in a crackdown on youngsters who drink in the street and cause anti-social behaviour.

Officers in Durham, backed by Police Community Support Officers, visited troublespots in the Framwellgate Moor and Newton Hall areas and The Arnison Centre.

They spoke to between 30 and 40 youngsters, many of them under-age, on Friday and Saturday nights and confiscated their drink, which included cans of lager and beer and bottles of cheap cider and wine.

The areas were targeted based on complaints from residents and information provided by Durham City Council's neighbourhood wardens on where discarded bottles and cans are dumped.

Police are sending letters to the parents of the teenagers they spoke to and plan to remind off-licences and corner street stores about the law against selling drink to under-18s.

Sgt Colin Williamson hailed the operation a success and said it could be followed by crackdowns in other parts of the city where public drinking is a concern to local people.

He said that one youth was stopped four times and that officers feared many of the under-age drinkers were getting their drink bought for them by adults, some possibly by their parents.

"They are not causing major crimes but when I go to public meetings, youngsters drinking and causing anti-social behaviour is top of the agenda. It affects people's quality of life. We are taking notice of this and directing resources to tackle the problems.''

Sgt Williamson urged anyone with a similar problem to call the force's non-emergency number (0845-60-60- 365). "If they tell us where it is happening we will target it,'' he said.

A city council spokesman said: "Our neighbourhood wardens tell the police which areas they have had complaints from about bottles and cans being dropped. The police take this information and go out and catch the kids red-handed.

"We are working together to try to make the quality of life better for the residents of the city. We do want to tackle the problems that concern them."