A clampdown on street drinking and anti-social behaviour in Lowestoft is to be launched today with a pledge from off-licences to stop selling super-strength alcohol.

The Reducing the Strength campaign is a partnership between Suffolk police and Waveney District Council to tackle the problems of people drinking in streets and yobbish behaviour which are linked to the sale of lager, beer and cider with an alcohol volume of 6.5% and over that is sold very cheaply.

Many off-licences in the town have already signed up to the scheme, which has already been launched in Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds and Haverhill.

The problem of street drinking in Lowestoft town centre is said to have increased over the last year.

It is also hoped that by removing super-strength alcohol from shelves it will also improve drinkers' health.

Mary Rudd, the district council's cabinet member for community health, said: 'By educating retailers about the importance of taking cheap super-strength alcohol off the shelves we can tackle this head on and help create a safer town centre.'

Sgt Steve Wright, of Lowestoft police, said: 'The negative impacts associated with super-strength alcohol are significant for the wider community and also for the public services who deal with the consequences.'