Police vow to crackdown on revellers who risk public safety in the Ribble Valley

The move follows an incident over the weekend where a female police officer was punched while breaking up a street brawl.

A 17-year-old boy was arrested for allegedly assaulting the officer who was trying to break up a fight in Wellgate.

Police were called in the early hours of Sunday to reports of disorder and groups of people congregating after visiting bars and pubs in the town.

In light of the incident, over the next few weeks, police will work in conjunction with local pub landlords, environmental health officers and officials at Ribble Valley Borough Council to ensure people are able to enjoy a night out in Clitheroe safely.

A Ribble Valley Police spokesman said: "Local residents will be aware of a number of incidents of disorderly behaviour that happened in Clitheroe Town Centre on Saturday evening into the early hours of Sunday morning.

"During one of these incidents, a Ribble Valley response police officer has been assaulted whilst trying to diffuse a volatile situation between two groups of males, outside of a public house on Wellgate. Thankfully, the officer only sustained minor injuries whilst arresting a 17-year-old male from Clitheroe, however, she shouldn't have been subject to this level of aggression whilst simply trying to keep residents and visitors to the Ribble Valley safe.

"Over the coming weeks the Police Licensing Team, who are based at Clitheroe Police Station will be working with the licencees of the town, environmental health officers and the Local Authority, who have responsibility for both granting licenses and setting licence conditions.

"This is to ensure that pubs and bars operate in a safe manner to minimise the risk of transmission of COVID-19 and to ensure that people are able to enjoy a night out in Clitheroe.

"We ask that businesses and visitors to the town centre continue to follow government guidance which can be found by clicking here"

A spokesman for RVBC said: “Following the weekend’s incidents, we are monitoring one public house in Clitheroe for breaching Covid-secure guidelines.

“Our environmental health and licensing teams are working with the police to ensure the borough’s pubs and bars operate in a safe manner and we won’t hesitate to take enforcement action if they don’t.”