Keighley police have stepped up the man-power available on Friday and Saturday nights in response to an increase in violent crime.

Keighley's Detective Inspector Trevor Gasson says moves have been made by Keighley police to clamp down on the rise in violent incidents. Det Insp Gasson says: "It isn't an alarming increase. It's also reflected in the national figures with respect to an overall increase in violent crime."

He says the blip is due to a number of factors, but mainly the time of the year.

"It's the usual things that cause it, including the hot weather with people drinking more than they usually do, and more people going out," says Det Insp Gasson.

He adds that trouble usually occurs at two peak times during the evening -- when the pubs close and the clubs get busy, and then later when the clubs close.

"There is always potential at these particular times because of the large number of people out on the street."

Police have taken a pro-active approach to controlling trouble times, including the use of plain clothed officers acting as trouble-spotters. Det Insp Gasson says: "It's a question of finding the main areas and taking a positive approach to those areas. We're doing this by using more dedicated resources and also using officers as spotters who can anticipate a disturbance which might be about to take place.

"The resources are then directed to that particular area and the matter is resolved before anything happens. We are there to take positive and preventative action. We are not here just to make arrests after the event. We keep a close watch on the area and take the necessary action," he says.

Det Insp Gasson says his main concern is to ensure the safety and enjoyment of the public, most of whom, he says, have come out for a fun night out. He adds that the police also need the co-operation of licensees. He says: "We will take firm action with people who commit these offences but everybody has ownership of the problem as well as the police.

"In particular, the licensees in the area have to keep their own house in order otherwise they might face the obvious consequences if they do not."

l Police are hunting a man suspected of being involved in a street brawl in which a teenager had his ear bitten off.

The 18-year-old from Silsden is facing a series of complicated operations by a top London specialist in a bid to reconstruct his left ear.

All that remains is the lobe following the incident at Skipton bus station, opposite Bliss nightclub.

The rest of his ear was recovered and he was rushed to Airedale General Hospital, in Steeton, and then to the plastic surgery unit at Bradford Royal Infirmary, where he underwent an operation to have the ear reattached.

But the surgery was unsuccessful and it had to be removed again.

A Skipton police spokesman said a man from Skipton had been arrested and released on police bail pending further inquiries.

"We are also looking for a suspect from the Keighley area. We know who he is, but he has gone missing," he added.

He said the young man who had his ear bitten off would have to undergo reconstructive surgery in London.

Detectives are appealing for witnesses to the brawl, which happened at 2.28am on August 11.

They believe a group of men from Keighley had been to the nightclub and later a row flared up in the bus station near a taxi rank.

Anyone with information should telephone Skipton police on (01756) 793377.