POLICE are to crackdown on under-age drinking across Craven.

Officers have announced that they are to use young people to make test purchases from licensed premises across the district.

Licensing officer Sgt Kevin Wilson said: "We have highlighted a problem in Skipton regarding young persons and alcohol.

"We are aware of a number of areas used by young people to congregate and have a drink.

"We have got to do something about it, and trying to identify which retailers are selling to these youngsters is the next step in the battle."

Sgt Wilson added that retailers found to be in contravention of the licensing laws would be prosecuted.

And he warned: "Licensees who loses their licence are not allowed to hold one ever again."

The initiative covers the whole of Craven, and all licensed premises will be targeted, from the large supermarkets to village pubs.

Operations are already being run in the York area, and the force is committed to running similar initiatives across North Yorkshire as part of the Safer Communities programme.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.