SWINDON police have been given extra money to put more officers on the beat in the coming month.

The run-up to the World Cup will see a strong approach to those causing alcohol-related trouble.

Police will use a prisoner-handling van to ferry offenders out of the town centre rather than waste individual officers' time by making them transport them.

It was a tactic used to good effect last Christmas, and town centre area inspector Ian Bamber says it is just one method planned to deal with drunken yobs.

Others include high-profile patrols, targeting under-age drinkers and using the new town centre dispersal order.

Licensees are also under pressure to clean up their act.

Insp Bamber said: "It's about being able to put more staff out and try to push home the message that we want to do something positive about binge-drinking and alcohol-related crime.

"We will take a robust and positive approach. If we can reduce the level of violence and public disorder in the town centre then it will become a better area.

"Then, hopefully, it will attract the right clientele and improve the way the area is viewed by other people."

Under new licensing laws the police and the council now have the power to close troublesome pubs and clubs.

Insp Bamber said: "There is a review process now which requires us to maintain a log in relation to premises where we think there are problems, but it also requires us to engage with the licensees so if there are problems we can address them first."

Police have so far been working with the pubs and clubs but Insp Bamber says that if bad behaviour persists then they will have no choice but to toughen up.

The town centre dispersal order introduced last Monday is expected to play a big part in the crackdown.

Insp Bamber said: "The fact that we have got additional staff is obviously going to assist us in policing that."