Police use bubbles to help stop town centre troubles

Forget lollipops and flipflops, the latest weapon in the war on binge drinking has been unveiled - bubbles.

A thousand colourful bubble blowers are to be handed out to revellers in Bolton centre.

The aim is to encourage drinkers leaving pubs and clubs to focus on playfully blowing bubbles on their way home, instead of getting into scuffles.



The blue and orange bubble blowers, which double as pens, will be handed out by Police Community Support Officers and town centre ambassadors on Saturday nights in December.

But Bolton councillor Elaine Sherrington said: "The bubble pens are a great idea to keep things light-hearted. Town centre revellers will have something fun to focus on as they leave pubs and clubs."

Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "This is completely bonkers. People want the police fighting crime, not handing out nursery school gimmicks. If this money isn't needed it should be given back to taxpayers, not just squandered."