TEACHERS and youth workers have joined forces with the police in a bid to 'Keep Kids Sober.'

Officers will launch Operation Flock phase two tonight -- aiming to crackdown on under-age drinking in Colne.

And the scheme is to be extended to Barnoldswick and Earby after reports of young drinkers gathering outside off-licences, often intimidating customers and staff.

Volkswagen rally ace Neil Simpson, who was brought up in Colne, has also offered his support and will be going out on patrol with the group.

It was decided the campaign, which proved successful in cutting down on anti-social behaviour last year, would be re-run again this summer using the same multi-agency approach.

The scheme, which is expected to be more widespread this year, is supported by the police, headteachers from local schools, the council, youth services and local community groups.

A briefing will be held at Colne police station at 7pm tonight before the volunteers in the campaign take to the streets to talk to youths about under-age drinking.

During the last week, leaflets have been distributed to all off-licences across Colne and they will be handed out to any adult buying alcohol on the premises. They warn of the dangers of under-age drinking and state 'Keep Kids Sober.'

Sergeant June Grice, of Colne police, said: "We will be going by the Open Door Centre and then going on to Lydgate and the cemetery area, where there have been reports about youth nuisance.

"We will be confiscating any alcohol we find and obtaining the youths' names. Once their names have been taken their parents will be notified immediately and we want parents to take responsibility for them.

"There are no parents in the consultation group and we would like them to be involved.

"We had a brilliant response last year when the teachers came out with us and some of the children were more concerned that their teachers were there than they were about the police.

"The off-licensees have all been in to the police station for a meeting and they are really positive about this and are keen to get involved.

"It's a multi-agency approach to tackle the problem of under-age drinking and youth nuisance in Colne and, as a group, we will find a solution together."