Police are to follow up an operation to cut down on town centre crime with their toughest anti-violence campaign to date.

It follows a meeting between Hastings police and more than 40 of the town's licensees about problems faced by bar staff, restaurateurs and nightclub owners.

It is the first time a partnership of such scale has been set up between police, licensees and council bosses.

Police are anxious to capitalise on Operation Marble, which gives officers a higher profile in the town centre.

Crime-busting ideas include a pub and club-watch scheme and metal detectors to prevent weapons being taken in to licensed premises.

Amnesty boxes for drugs and weapons will be encouraged, as well as the introduction of plastic glasses and a ban on glass bottles.

Known troublemakers will be banned from the town centre at night.

A spokesman for Hastings police said: "Operation Marble is still going on and has made a big difference in the number of incidents in the town centre.

"The meeting with the licensees was very positive indeed. They are all right behind what the police are doing, as is the council. We want to make the town centre a safer place to be at night for families and young people."

The clampdown was launched after a series of brutal attacks on people leaving pubs and clubs.

The spokesman said: "We have had a few nasty attacks in the last 15 months but things are improving now.

"We always had a town centre presence but it has become necessary for us to take more direct action."