Police dip-sticks target drinkers

Police are to use plastic sticks to thwart teenagers who try to disguise alcohol by mixing it with soft drinks.

The dip-sticks, which change colour when in contact with alcohol, will be used by officers to test the content of drinks in north Staffordshire.

If under-age youths are found with alcohol police can confiscate their drinks and issue on-the-spot fines.

The dip-sticks will be used to curb a perceived under-age drinking problem in Newcastle, Cheadle, Kidsgrove and Leek.

The campaign, which has attracted interest from other UK police forces, is funded by a £2,250 grant from the Partners Assuring A Safer Staffordshire (PASS) charity.

The dip-sticks will be used by neighbourhood policing units for a trial during the school summer holidays which police say is traditionally a period when anti-social behaviour can increase.