More police will be patrolling town centres in Kent this Christmas.

The force is reminding people planning a night out over the festive period to have fun but drink responsibly and respect others.

Increased numbers of officers will be out across the county, monitoring any anti-social behaviour which may arise from excessive drinking.

Working with other organisations, the police will be carrying out licence checks in pubs and clubs, to deter underage drinking.

Chief inspector of partnerships and communities, Lara Connor, said: "We want everyone to enjoy themselves but it can be easy to get carried away.

"It is important to know your limits and think of others who are also out enjoying the festivities.

"Antisocial behaviour through excessive drinking is often caused by a small number of people but it can have a big impact, sometimes with serious and dangerous consequences.

"I would urge everyone to drink sensibly and walk away from confrontation.

"As always we will be working closely with staff at bars and clubs to ensure people have fun but stay safe."

Further advice given by police is to nominate someone who can stay sober and drive, or book a taxi home before you go out; keep an eye out for friends or family who tend to take risks after a few too many drinks; and try to walk away from any confrontation.

This comes after the recent release of Kent Police's annual Christmas drink and drug drive campaign.

Officers will be proactively patrolling and targeting high risk locations to crack down on motorists who drink or take drugs and drive.

People are reminded there is no safe amount of alcohol in your system when driving, so if you plan to have a drink, you should make other arrangements to get home.

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