AN OPERATION by Yeovil Police to tackle violent crime is going from strength to strength.

Operation Fahrenheit has been running since the start of December and violent crime hotspots have been targeted with high visibility foot patrols.

Officers have so far arrested 14 people as a direct result of the operation and have made more than 100 visits to pubs and clubs to ensure they are complying with their licences and enforcing the exclusion ban for alcohol related crimes.

People charged with violent crime in the town centre are banned from all the Pub Watch member's premises in the area.

They have also been vigorously enforcing the alcohol ban in the town centre and have confiscated alcohol from 18 people.

The operation has been drawn up with the help of other agencies including South Somerset District Council, Pub Watch and the Yeovil Town Centre Retail Partnership and its set to continue.

Inspector Mike Edwards said: "The operation is not all about arresting people but about making the town centre a safer place.

"By having high visibility patrols and robustly enforcing licencing laws and the drinking ban we will have a real impact on violent crime in Yeovil.

"We are working together with the licencees to ensure that everybody can have an enjoyable and safe night out in Yeovil."

Police are also looking at obtaining anti-social behaviour orders against persistent offenders which would aim to ban them from the whole of the town centre.