THE mayor of a North Yorkshire market town has called on the community to back his calls for a total alcohol ban in public places.

Councillor Jack Dobson says that drunken youths are causing thousands of pounds of vandalism by attacking children's play areas and ripping up trees across Northallerton.

He believes that unless they succeed in securing a by-law banning alcohol consumption in open spaces the problem will get worse.

Coun Dobson has already met police to discuss the problem. He will be speaking with community police officers and alcohol and drug agencies early next month to look at ways of combating the vandalism and graffiti in the town as well as discussing a total alcohol ban in public areas.

Such a ban has been suggested before but it was rejected because police feared people would not be able to enjoy a glass of wine with their picnics.

But Coun Dobson said action had to be taken. He said: "This can't go on any longer, we have to pull together as a community to put a stop to mindless vandals who are ruining this town.

"We have to look at banning alcohol in the town and clamping down on the minority of youths hell-bent on destroying things.

"Not long ago a set of drunken youths took a chainsaw to one of the children's wooden forts in the play area and then doused it in petrol and tried to set it alight.

"They rip bollards out and graffiti walls and leave their alcopop bottles strewn around the park.

"It can't go on and I'm determined to sort it out and I think the community is behind me. It is not just drink, there are also drugs involved. They get hammered and think they are Rambo and I won't have it."

Coun Dobson said he will look at ways that the council can secure European funding to employ community wardens to patrol public areas, which has proved a success in other towns in the region.