TWO of Skipton's leading figures said they would support scrapping licensing hours in a bid to stop alcohol-fuelled trouble in the town centre.

District police commander Chief Inspector Nick Smedley and Councillor Paul English said that a relaxation of the hours would stop hundreds of young people spilling out from pubs and the nightclub at the same time and clashing in huge gangs.

Ch Insp Smedley told the Skipton and West Craven Area Committee that during the 36-hour opening over the Millennium Eve there was very little trouble and anti-social behaviour in the streets.

He said revellers moved from pub to pub at different times and did not all leave at the same time.

Their announcements came after complaints from Skipton residents that drink was responsible for young people behaving badly in the streets, which was bringing down the tone of the whole area.

Jean Walker from the Canal Street area said the town had fallen into a "rapid decline" over the past few years.

"The amount of after hours drinking that goes on in Skipton is phenomenal. We have been phoning the police for years about this."

She said she was fed up of youths vomiting on doorsteps and into the canal and of seeing them jumping into the canal.

"It is just despicable. Please can we have something done about the licensing and the licensees who deliberately target the young?"

Mrs Walker said some licensees were supporting the drink culture by allowing happy hours to go on for about four hours and selling drinks at knock down prices.

"There are hundreds of youngsters in Skipton who behave inappropriately and get away with it," she said, adding that she knew of people in her neighbourhood who had sold up and left the area or who felt uncomfortable in their own homes.

Mrs Walker said their complaints should be taken into consideration when the pub's licenses come up for renewal.

Tony Wells, who lives in the Waller Hill area, said: "Skipton three nights a week is taken over by drinkers. Clearly nothing seems to impede them."

He and his wife, Pamela, regularly see people throwing bottles about, smashing up bus shelters and even throwing things onto the canal boats.

"Is there any possibility of a law to crack down straight away on people carrying drink in their hands?" asked Mr Wells. "This drink problem seems to be overwhelming Skipton."

Crime Reduction Partnership co-ordinator Alan Atkins said the partnership was hoping to introduce laws to ban drinking in the streets.

He added that the Waller Hill area was covered by closed-circuit television and these trouble-makers should be caught.

Ch Insp Smedley said he would speak to the licensing officer and hoped to step up patrols in the problem areas. He admitted that he did not realise the problems had got so bad.

Coun Paul English added that residents should not show that they were frightened of youths in the street and not look the other away or cross the road.

He said they "thrived" on seeing people scared of them but most of their bravado was just "mouth."

He hoped everyone would help take control of the situation and help rid the streets of the trouble-makers.