Sussex Police has been short-listed for an international award for its work in dealing with intimidating behaviour on the streets.

Operation Dodger has cut the number of street drinkers and beggars in Brighton and Hove by working with the city council, the community safety team and voluntary and social organisations to tackle each individual's addiction.

Its success has put it among the final eight short-listed for this year's International Herman Goldstein Award for excellence in problem-oriented policing.

The operation began two years ago following complaints to the police and the council from residents.

The problem raised the fear of crime and disorder among residents and businesses and began to tarnish the city's image.

The project's comprehensive groundwork with residents and organisations led the city to be one of five recognised by the Home Office to be given Trailblazer status to tackle street drinking last year.

Since then, it has exceeded the Government's target to reduce the problem by 60 per cent by March, having cut the number by 90 per cent from 33 to just three people.

Street drinking hotspots have decreased from 18 to five.

The team, led by Sergeant Richard Siggs, won the Home Office's national Tilley awards last month.

They will be making a presentation to the judges in North Carolina, USA, along with five other American police forces and Lancashire and Staffordshire Police forces.

The winner will receive $5,000 and the runners-up $1,000.