YORK came through with flying colours during a police clampdown on unlicensed pub "bouncers".

In Selby, 12 front-line door staff were found to be working illegally and were reported for summons, resulting in two late-night venues being closed.

But in York city centre no bouncers were sent home and no premises were closed.

York licensing officer PC David Boag said officers visited 45 premises in the Micklegate and Coney Street areas between 8pm and midnight last Friday.

He said 86 door staff were checked to see if they were properly authorised

He said 55 of them had their full badges, while the remaining 31 had submitted applications to the newly-created Security Industry Authority (SIA), which were at various stages. PC Boag said: "We have had a door supervisor scheme for years and I didn't envisage a problem because we are ahead of the game."

The county-wide crackdown at the start of the May Day Bank Holiday came in the wake of new legislation.

The new Private Security Act required that door staff in York were all fully licensed by December 13 last year.

But the date was then extended to March 7 this year to prevent a "logjam" of applications.

Mr Boag said: "As the deadline passed, we decided to carry out a joint operation with the SIA and council licensing officers to see just how many door supervisors had their SIA badges that allow them to work anywhere in the country.

"The badge is similar to a credit card, with a photograph and their ID number.

"It is a criminal offence for door staff to work without a licence and to employ someone who is not registered.

"We are happy with what we found in York."

York-based Central Area community safety manager Chief Inspector Andy Hirst said: "SIA enforcement officers were with us on the night, so we were able to check there and then if door staff had a badge or had applied for one.

"It is an operation that is likely to be repeated at some point."

Updated: 10:23 Thursday, May 05, 2005