POLICE patrolling York during the school holidays say their summer campaign against antisocial behaviour by young people has been successful.

Operation Liberate sees North Yorkshire Police officers and specials patrol the city's parks and open spaces with representatives of partner agencies to find young people who are committing antisocial behaviour or at risk of being in a vulnerable situation.

The operation has run over the school holidays each year since 2015, and launched in July, with police given dispersal powers to move youths on, and the new community messaging service to alert residents to issues.

A spokesman told The Press just three young people were 'safeguarded' on the first night of the operation, as they "were playing close to railway lines".

Other than those individuals, the spokesman said, "the young people in play parks who have been spoken to have been well-behaved and there have been no significant issues".

The spokesman said adults and local businesses around the parks and open spaces had given "extremely positive" feedback to officers on the patrol, which runs on Friday and Saturday nights throughout the summer holidays.

Sergeant Danny Leach, who patrols with the Operation, said: "So far we have had great success, and have engaged with lots of young people, who all seem to be enjoying their summer in a safe and sensible manner.

"York residents will notice that we have been highly visible and in it is reassuring that so far our patrols have encountered very little anti-social behaviour. I would encourage people to report any such behaviour to us, as we have been planning our patrols based on up-to-date information from communities."

Antisocial behaviour can be reported on 101, or 999 in an emergency.