Dozens of volunteers are to take to Bradford's streets to tackle binge drinking and booze-fuelled rowdiness in the run up to Christmas.

The Street Angels, a 40-strong team of church-goers, will patrol in teams of three and approach revellers who they think have had too much to drink.

The Angels have already been at work in Halifax where police say violent crime in the town centre has been reduced by 42 per cent. Their launch on to Bradford streets is part of a two-pronged initiative to tackle drink problems late at night.

The other scheme, Best Bar None, will reward pubs, clubs and bars which promote responsible drinking.

The double approach comes as concerns grow about the level of alcohol abuse in Britain. Yesterday Prime Minister Gordon Brown called for a crackdown on sales of alcohol to youngsters and a week ago an Ofsted report said that a fifth of ten-to-15 year olds regularly drank.

The launch for the twin projects took place at the Chino Thai bar and restaurant in Centenary Square yesterday afternoon. Chino Thai is one of 13 local pubs and clubs to be awarded Best Bar None' certificates and plaques. The awards were presented by project co-ordinator Troy Daniels.

Mr Daniels said: "Venues from across the district including Bradford and Bingley have been successful in gaining awards. These bars, pubs and nightclubs have done really well to achieve recognition and we are pleased to have been able to work with them."

Among the other bars receiving recognition are the City Vaults, The Love Apple, Walkabout, Revolution and the Bradford University Student Union Bar.

At the same event the Street Angels, sporting their high-visibility uniforms, were unveiled. Their numbers come from various churches across the Bradford district and they will be out in force every Friday and Saturday night between 9pm and 3am.

They will work in close conjunction with the police, PCSOs, St John Ambulance volunteers and other agencies and have a strict "non-confrontational" policy.

The group will be based at the German Church on Great Horton Road and will offer counselling, assistance or just a friendly face and a cup of tea for those in need of help.

City Centre Mission Priest Chris Howson is leading the project. He said: "This is one big collaboration with the police, the German Church and many others.

"I have been in this city for 20 years and Bradford does have a safe city centre, but we want to help to make it even safer. We will be going around in high visibility gear and trying to help.

"When I first heard of the Halifax scheme I thought it was a terrible idea, especially as it meant being out until 3am.

"But then I went to Halifax to see the project in action and I saw how popular the Street Angels were with people. Since the scheme was brought in there has been a 42 per cent reduction in violent crime in Halifax."

Speaking to the House of Commons yesterday Mr Brown said it was important to establish, "Whether we can build upon the efforts to deal with some of the problems, particularly related to our target groups- that is young people and binge drinkers-and whether we need to do more voluntarily or in a regulatory way."

He added: "It is clear that the solution lies beyond a stream of individual measures.

"Its about creating a cultural shift, having local co-ordination, better education and enforcement and individuals taking personal responsibility."