A CRACKDOWN on under-age drinking is taking place in Coppull.

The Prove It scheme means teenagers must produce a special identification card including a photograph before being able to buy booze.

Police want to rally round pub and off licence managers to support the national scheme being run with Coppull Parish Council, and if successful similar methods will be used in other parts of the town.

Margaret Donnelly of Donnelly's off-licence on Spendmoor Lane, Coppull said: "Coppull has been suffering for a long time with under-age drinking. It's like a guessing game when youths come in. They always say they're 19 years old, but if they have no positive identification we stick to selling to over 21s only.

"Then there's always the problem of youths getting an adult to buy alcohol for them.

"Staff are in the firing line and taking the abuse is one of the hazards of our job. Only last year one of our staff was taken to court and fined a hefty sum for accepting a birth certificate as proof of ID.

"But this is our livelihood and we can only try to combat the problems.

"With all licensees taking part, teenagers won't be able to go from one outlet to the next trying their tactics.

"And it's not just Coppull which suffers - it's a nationwide battle." Sgt David Turner of Chorley Police's licensing department said: "Under-age drinking has many spin-off crimes. Youths need to find money to fund their habit just as with drugs.

"The police have limited powers. There's no specific law to stop youths drinking in the streets but we can stop them getting the drink in the first place.

"We could use this scheme in other parts of Chorley but each area has specific needs. For example, in the town centre we have problems with glasses and bottles being taken outside."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.