Police are using a multi-pronged attack to crack down on booze-fuelled violent crime during the summer.

A series of initiatives and operations in Brighton and Hove are already in place.

Although officers are making headway in tackling other crimes, such as theft of vehicles and burglary, figures show people assaulted on the city's streets is one of the biggest crimes, particularly in summer.

Brighton and Hove ranked 25th out of 30 towns and cities across England for the number of violent crimes committed in 2000/2001. Hastings took 30th place as the worst town for a record of assaults on people.

Superintendent Peter Coll told a meeting of the Brighton and Hove Community Safety Forum at Hove Town Hall a number of initiatives to tackle the problem were underway, including Operation Marvel, where officers ensure they are highly visible on the streets.

He said: "On Friday and Saturday nights, you will see an increase in officers on the streets and we are building on that, not with just high visibility but also behind the scenes."

Mr Coll said police had been working with Roger French of the Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company to identify where large groups of young people travelled into and from the city. Officers would board these buses and carry out searches.

Mr Coll said people in the 17-to-24 age group were statistically more likely to be victims or the offenders of violent crime.

He said officers were working on Operation Armadillo, stopping and searching young people for weapons and there was a weapons amnesty.

He said security cameras would be used to target people suspected of being violent offenders rather than just a tool of supplying evidence to bring people to court.

Pubs and clubs were to be invited to a seminar to discuss alcohol-induced violence and anti-social behaviour.

Linda Beanlands, community safety manager told the meeting: "Tackling violent crime in a public place is one of our key priorities and it is a priority for the Government.

"It is particularly important to us because, from the work and analysis we have done, a high percentage of violent crime is in a public place and alcohol related.."

Violent crime in the city is being tackled by the Violent Crime Taskforce, which is a multi-agency group including the police, the city council, licensing, the youth offending team and the town centre manager and looks at licensing, transport and the environment across the city.

The massive crowds at the Fatboy Slim beach gig gave police an insight into what they may face in the future as city events increase in popularity.

Chief Superintendent Doug Rattray, speaking at the Community Safety Forum, said: "The division was stretched to its limits and put to the test as to whether it could cope or not.

"I was really proud of the way the police officers responded on the night, in which there were several crucial moments the actions of police officers contributed to people not being injured by falling on railway lines or into the sea."

He said the way the officers operated gave an insight into how the merged Brighton and Hove division coped in pressured conditions.