POLICE have pledged to tackle anti-social behaviour following a rise in youngsters drinking and causing criminal damage.

Officers in Sedgefield said they will be taking a zero tolerance approach to any youths found drinking and causing anti-social behaviour.

The warning comes after reports of youths misbehaving in the Hardwick Park area of the village.

The issue was raised last year, after youths were seen congregating in the village centre in the possession of alcohol and “causing a nuisance”.

Operation Staysafe was launched in response to the escalating anti-social behaviour.

The bad behaviour saw a 13-year-old girl arrested after being caught in the possession of a knife.

She was among a crowd of 150 youths who were sent home by police for fear they would intimidate residents.

At the time, a dispersal order was put in place in response to the rise in anti-social behaviour in the area on Fridays and Saturdays.

The Sedgefield Neighbourhood Police Team urged parents to be aware of where their children were and who they are with.

The crackdown was also in response to another incident which saw a police officer bitten.

Another suffered a shoulder injury while police were attacked wile trying to help a drunk girl.

The incident resulted in four arrests.

Operation Staysafe involves officers patrolling hotspot areas, where youths congregate, often to drink alcohol. It was praised in 2018, after crime and anti-social behaviour figures showed a marked improvement.

A Sedgefield Police spokesperson said officers will deal with the anti-social behaviour using powers from the operation, this includes dispersal orders, and referrals to social services.

They also can give parents community protection warnings to prevent individuals being in Sedgefield centre at certain times. In cases where criminal offences are disclosed arrests will also be made.

Police would like children in the area to be aware if they are found in the possession of alcohol, they will be removed to a place of safety.

Their parents will then be required to collect them and will speak to a sergeant or inspector.

Police said children they have spoken to recently about anti-social behaviour are mostly from the Sedgefield area.

Officers are now urging parents, carers and guardians to take an active part in speaking to their children to help prevent any further problems.