BOUNCERS working at pubs and clubs across Bolton face fines from Friday night if they are not fully licensed.

All door staff in the UK have been required to have a proper licence or face a possible fine or imprisonment since September last year.

Police say the discretionary period is now over and staff must have a licence from the Security Industry Association (SIA).

All staff without a licence will be committing an offence. Officers in Bolton checked doorstaff across the town as part the three week Operation Townsafe and anyone found to in breach of the new regulations was warned.

Insp Maria Donaldson said today that checks would continue and anyone found to be without a license could be prosecuted.

"We have carried out checks along with the SIA and there appears to have been some hold ups in the process," she said.

"We have been able to check which people have actually applied and if we find anyone who is obviously in breach of the law will be prosecuted."

The security company that employs unlicensed bouncers and the licensee of any premises allowing them to work could both be prosecuted under the new rules.