Town residents plan protest march

Police said they also had a duty of care to revellers

Residents in Newquay say they are to march on Truro's County Hall and start a petition to demand action in dealing with drunken behaviour in the town.

A public meeting held by the Newquay Residents' Association on Wednesday night heard some residents say they felt the town centre was a no-go area.

More than 70 people attended the meeting, but they said no town councillors or local police attended.

Police said they were tackling situations "head-on".

The town's nightlife has been criticised recently following the deaths of two teenagers in cliff falls.

We don't want noise, anti-social behaviour, vandalism and drunkenness on our streets Dave Sleeman, Newquay Residents' Association

The body of 18-year-old Andrew Curwell, was found at the foot of cliffs at Great Western Beach on 28 June. Paddy Higgins, 16, died on 6 July after falling down cliffs above Towan Beach.

However, more than 3,000 teenagers are still expected in the Cornish resort over the next few weeks following the end of exams. Residents said they were concerned about any drunken behaviour.

At the meeting, there were calls for local authorities to introduce on-the-spot penalties and curfews. Some residents also suggested withholding council tax in protest.

The meeting later decided on a set of demands, which will be listed in the petition and also delivered to County Hall when the march goes ahead.

'Family town'

Dave Sleeman, from the residents' association, said: "We want a better level of policing itself, we want licensing issues dealt with and we want action to solve our problems.

"We don't want noise, anti-social behaviour, vandalism and drunkenness on our streets.

"We want this town to become a family town again, like it was in the past, and bringing money into everybody's pockets.

Newquay's senior police officer, Insp Dave Meredith, said officers were doing their best to manage problems.

He said: "It's a vibrant holiday resort that attracts a lot of people, especially the under-18 age group, but we try and manage that as best we can.

We're doing everything we can to realistically manage them Insp Dave Meredith, Devon and Cornwall Police

"There have been tragic incidents and there are issues with public perception. But, overall, I think it's being very well run.

"It has been an incredible challenge and, from some aspects, it's been a frustration dealing with under-18s drinking on the streets.

"From a policing point of view we are tackling this head-on to make sure Newquay is reflected in the best light possible.

"We've a duty of care to these people and we're doing everything we can to realistically manage them."

Local authorities said all shops were banned from selling alcohol to under 25s without ID.

They added that youth workers patrolled at night to offer a helping hand and buses were on hand to shuttle partygoers to and from campsites.