Police in South Woodham Ferrers are claiming an operation to crack down on under-age drinkers is a success.

Operation Clarion ran during July and saw plain clothes and uniformed officers monitoring the buying of alcohol for youngsters by adults.

Acting Inspector Lee Davies said: "It has certainly been a viable operation.

''Eight or nine youths have been found drunk in the town centre or surrounding areas and taken to the police station or home to their parents."

The Essex Chronicle reported last month that girls as young as 13 had been found in the town centre, so drunk they could barely stand.

Up to seven officers a night have been working on the operation, which has been concentrated on Friday and Saturday nights.

Acting Inspector Davies added that drink bought for under-18s had been disposed off in front of the youngsters. "If we see people walking out of an off licence premises we can take the drink off them and pour it down the drain.

''It's probably had quite a good effect for kids to see their money poured away in front of them.

"We will carry on with this at random periods."

Members of South Woodham community forum are considering a poster campaign to add their support to the scheme.

Posters put up in off licences would warn against buying drink for under-18s.

Barry Smith, forum vice-chairman, said: "We need to bring the licensees into this and send these posters out to the pubs and off licences warning people about buying drink for under-age youngsters."

"The problem is they may not feel that they are doing much wrong."

By Katy Fisher

Reporter's e-mail: katy.fisher@essex-chronicle.co.uk

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