POLICE have vowed to act to prevent a repeat of unruly and drunken behaviour by scores of Richmond Meet revellers.

Drinkers spilled from the Turf Hotel onto Victoria Road and the King Street roundabout from teatime on bank holiday Monday, showering the road with broken glass and causing problems for drivers.

Town councillor Stuart Parsons tried several times to contact police shortly after 5pm and ended up dialling 999.

"There was vandalism on the roundabout and people outside the Turf were spilling into the road, which was dangerous," he said. "The police said something would be done and a police car drove down to the end of King Street, the policeman driving got out and picked up a bar glass from the road and threw it onto the roundabout and drove off."

The Batts had remained strewn with bottles and cans on Tuesday morning in spite of being designated a controlled drinking area.

The town council has vowed to write to North Yorkshire chief constable, Della Cannings, to complain about the lack of control. Coun Parsons has also spoken to Insp Aubrey Smith, of Richmond police.

Insp Smith admitted officers had struggled to cope with problems during the bank holiday Monday evening but promised action to ensure there was no repeat next year.

"We haven't explored all the possibilities with regard to licensing with the Turf and it is something we need to look at harder and will be doing for next year," he said.

"Perhaps there should have been greater restrictions placed on the events of that day which would have prevented people spilling out onto the road and the roundabout.

"There are resource issues for us. We were stretched literally to the bone on the evening because of the incidents involving drunken behaviour and there was a fatal road accident to deal with that night.

"However, I accept the frustrations of the town council and planning for next year's Meet will start now to make sure we have adequate resources."

Barriers between the pub and the road were suggested by some town councillors along with a clamp-down on the amount of alcohol sold during the Meet.

A request from the Meet committee to have the road closed between the King Street roundabout and Rosemary Lane had been turned down by the district council following consultation with police and highways officials, Coun Russell Lord, the mayor, told the town council on Monday.

Coun Parsons paid tribute to district council street cleaners who ensured the road and pavement were clear by early Tuesday morning.