A MONTH-LONG campaign to crack-down on all forms of anti-social behaviour in a Kent town centre has been successful.

The Safer Summer campaign, set up by Kent Police has seen a popular drinking spot in Gravesend turned into an "oasis of calm".

Beginning on Friday, June 29 for four weeks, Kent Police and Gravesham Borough Council led a targeted campaign to move on drinkers from a number of sites if they chose to ignore the fact that an alcohol control zone had been imposed to cover a large part of the town centre.

One of the particular problem areas was Sensory Gardens behind the Railway Tavern pub where complaints had been made to both police and the council about groups of people who gathered there to drink and had even been seen to urinate in the area.

During the campaign, high visibility policing ensured 61 people had more than 100 cans of alcohol seized from them.

Neighbourhood policing inspector, Paul Anderson said: "These figures show that alcohol control zones do work and are one of a number of effective tools to combat anti-social drinking in the town centre."

Cllr Mike Snelling, leader of Gravesham Borough Council, stressed the council's commitment to community safety and reducing crime and disorder as the top priority.

He said: "Hopefully the message will get through that we mean business and threatening and nuisance behaviour will never be tolerated in our town."