Police have launched a crackdown on burglars, drug dealers and car criminals with "in your face policing".

More than 1,000 hours of high visibility foot and bicycle patrols will take place each month in Eastbourne as part of Operation Confront II.

Chief Inspector Peter Mills, Eastbourne district commander, said criminals will be put under intense pressure in the zero tolerance campaign.

He said: "It is in the face policing and I make no apologies for that. We are not prepared to tolerate anyone who chooses to come to this town to commit crime."

Officers will target prolific offenders with home visits and curfew checks.

Operation Confront - an earlier crackdown - yielded good results in November 2003.

The operation reviewed intelligence and officers were deployed to problem locations or individuals.

Crime has been cut by three per cent in Eastbourne in the last year - with the main successes in tackling burglary, car crime and street robbery.

Police have executed more than 100 drug warrants throughout Eastbourne, with 13 drug dealers awaiting sentencing.

Mr Mills' approach has drawn praise from residents' associations and community leaders.

Eastbourne Tory MP Nigel Waterson hailed his "no nonsense" approach in the Commons.

The Confront II zone covers a large part of Eastbourne town centre, including the Arndale Shopping Centre, Seaside Road, Ashford Road, Susans Road and Pevensey Road.

Mr Mills said: "I've made the decision to change the area to better concentrate on crime in the town centre.

"The criminals will be under the same extensive pressure they always were.

"The fear of crime has moved from the people of Eastbourne. It is the criminals that are now in fear.

"Eastbourne is a safe place to live and we intend making it safer."

Eastbourne Borough Council has also set aside £100,000 to create a team of enforcement officers to take over from community street wardens later this year.

Government funding for the street wardens reaches the end of its three-year run next month.

Cash will instead be redirected into hiring more police community safety officers (PCSOs).

The new officers will target nuisance and antisocial behaviour.