Extra patrols are now in place each Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights targeting problem hotspots.

Just two weeks into the annual Summer Nights operation, police have revealed they have visited 93 off-licences and 64 pubs working with the licenced trade to promote responsible drinking.

They have also issued 31 youth referrals of which 18 involved under-age drinking, and police seized 87 cans of beer, 31 bottles of beer, four alcopops, five bottles of cider, eight cans of cider and four others.

Sgt Kevin Mountain from Chorley's neighbourhood policing team said: "It is a reasonably good result. It's slightly higher than usual over a two-week period but this is the time of year this kind of thing starts peaking.

"It is pretty stable really, we do get hotspots which move about when we give them our attention.

"In the past we've had more problems over the summer months which is why we are gearing up to combat the problems by putting additional resources on.

"Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday we have additional staff on duty targeting the hotspot areas. Once we move into an area, the problem moves to another, so we move on again, it's like cat and mouse."

But Sgt Mountain said there was an important message they want to get across - that they won't tolerate anti-social drinking.

He said: "If anyone is under-age and drinking the police are looking for you, and even if over age and drinking irresponsibly, we are looking for you.

"Summer nights targets anti-social drinking by anyone, it's not just under-age drinking.

"The visits to licensed premises reinforce the message to promote responsible drinking. We work closely with the licencees who put up posters for us, and put out beer mats and cards which give points for responsible drinking. We work in partnership with the licensed trade on this."