I HAD to report to Morecambe police station for around 6.15pm after the neighbourhood policing team had been given their briefing and tasks for the night.

It was dark by this time, windy and quite cold but I knew this wouldn't stop the underage drinkers from coming out in force.

West End Neighbourhood Policing Sergeant Andy Stuttard came out to meet me, along with Sgt John Bond.

They led me through the maze of corridors at the police station before we sat down to have a chat about what the evening was about.

Andy explained to me that early intervention was paramount to the police as it was far easier to deal with sober juveniles as opposed to drunken ones.

As it was the last Friday of the school half-term it would either be very busy or very quiet – it was just pot luck and dependent on how many youngsters were out drinking.

At around 6.45pm we got into the police van, joined by Police Community Support Officer Ben Heap and set off towards the West End to see what was going on.

We only got to the roundabout near First Stop before we stopped to question some young lads who were pushing a shopping trolley.

This was immediately seized by the police, and as Sgt John Bond told me, the trolleys are worth £80 each so this one would be returned to Tesco where it came from.

The lads looked quite young but as PCSO Ben Heap took their details and asked them questions it was apparent that they weren't drinking or causing trouble.

The trolley was duly put into the back of the van, and would come in useful later if alcohol was seized.

The lads sloped off and we resumed our journey to the West End.
Trawling the streets at Morecambe's West End almost immediately paid off as we spotted a small group of youths drinking near the Hothouse.
Andy and Ben immediately got out and went towards the group, with myself, cameraman Stuart Bannerman and John staying with the vehicle.

One of the youths started playing up to the camera and acting up, but Andy and Ben took control and made them pour their drink away.

We then carried on looking down the main streets where youths gathered, and even the promenade bus shelters, favourite haunts for drinkers of all ages.

No joy there though, probably because the youths had become wise to the police operation and were avoiding these particular places.

The next call came in that there were underage drinkers hanging around near the Bradford Arms in the centre of Morecambe.

We sped down there to assist and seize drink if needed.

There was a large group of boys and girls, none apparently drinking, but again acting as if they had been consuming alcohol.

The group was dispersed and some went one way, some the other way.
Alcohol
As we were driving round the block, Ben noticed some of the youths going to retrieve alcohol which the little scamps had hidden in nearby doorways when they saw us coming.

We drove back round and started chatting to two young girls, one of whom was carrying a two litre bottle of coke which was half full.
One of the girls immediately started swearing and causing a scene and was arrested on the spot.

Her friend handed the bottle over which was then poured away down the drain.

This girl was allowed to go home but her mate wasn't so lucky.

She was taken home staggering to her horrified parents who thought she had been upstairs in her room.

It then transpired she was only 15 and had been drinking vodka and Coke. She had sneaked out and met up with a friend without her parents' permission.

Andy explained to me that two or three days later after everything had calmed down there would be a conference between the parents and the girl outlining the effect her behaviour had on the public, her own parents and the police.

This restorative justice has proved very effective as teenagers really get to see what effect their behaviour has on their loved ones and others.

In some cases the girl or boy may be given a fixed penalty notice, but this isn't always necessary as the parent/child conference has the desired effect.

Then a call came through that youths were smashing up a bus shelter near Combermere Road, so it was time for the blue flashing lights and sirens to go on.

We sped down Regent Road at a rate of knots, with every bump on the road jolting through my body, but it was exhilarating all the same.

I felt the adrenaline pumping and imagined that moments like these were what policemen and women joined the force for.

We arrived at Combermere Road but couldn't find any smashed up bus shelter.

After driving round scoping the area, we came across a group of boys and one girl.

Andy got out to question them, checking their knuckles for small cuts they would have sustained had they smashed up the shelter.
The group were allowed to go because it was apparent they were not the offenders.

We were unable to find the trashed bus shelter so headed back towards the West End.

Then a call came through which every police officer dreads – one of their own was in trouble.

It was time to drop everything and go and help because an officer needed assistance on Sefton Road.

When we arrived there were a number of police vans, police, youths shouting, and one youth being arrested.

It was quite distressing to see the youth being pinned down by plain clothes police officers, but it was obvious he was reacting violently and I was told he had just been fighting with another youth.

Police put him in the back of their van after he was cuffed and led away.

A lady in her 60s was criticising the police for being too heavy-handed with the youth, but as Andy pointed out to her, what did she want them to do – carry on letting them fight in the street and causing noise and disturbance to other residents?

Gradually the group dispersed and it was time for us to scope around the West End again.

Bizarrely as we drove down Sefton Road we saw a middle-aged man with a large white jug full of artificial flowers, striding purposefully down the road.

Ben said he had seen him walking round the same block with the same jug and flowers before.

Maybe he wanted to give a lady something for Valentine's Day but couldn't find a suitable recipient.

After driving round some more it became apparent that things had gone very quiet and it was time for things to wind down a bit.

We had seized a shopping trolley and the odd bottle and can of booze, but it was a fairly quiet night by police standards.

After four hours on the operation I felt exhausted but enlightened to what the police have to do every night of the week.

I'm also full of admiration for the officers who work to keep our towns and cities crime free with the ever increasing threat of guns, the increasing drug problems, and the constant alcohol and drug related crimes.

People who criticise the police might themselves benefit from going out with them on a night like this to see exactly what they have to contend with seven days a week.

Operation Borderline ran for five consecutive weeks including the February half term and ran every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening, apart from the school break when police ran it every night.

A vast amount of alcohol was seized and either confiscated or poured away.

Andy said: "There was more seized in the early stages when we impacted greatly, but as the operation progressed, it became less and less.

"The juveniles obviously knew we were about and the majority simply stopped.

"It became harder to find them as they got wise to our 'tactics', if you will.

"Several arrests were made for offences involving alcohol, for example juveniles being drunk and disorderly, and theft of alcohol from licensed premises, and several penalty notices involving fines were issued.

"Some fines were also issued to persons purchasing or selling alcohol to juveniles.

"In the Morecambe area, test purchasing was also carried out by plain clothes officers with Trading Standards at several venues, and only one premises failed.

"All others passed and did so well, refusing to serve juveniles, which clearly showed that our message was getting across.

"Licensed premises are taking note of what we are saying, helping us as much as they can by refusing to serve those appearing under age, and displaying warning posters targeting those who attempt to buy and distribute alcohol to those underage."