POLICE seized more than 600 bottles of alcohol from children in a school holiday crackdown on under age drinking.

Operation Harrow saw officers targeting the streets on Friday and Saturday nights during the long summer break in an attempt to stamp out antisocial behaviour and violence.

The operation in the Shirley area of Southampton has been hailed a success - but officers are warning that juveniles are still managing to obtain alcohol illegally.

It also falls into line with the Daily Echo's Keep Kids Sober campaign, launched after it was revealed that children as young as 11 were drinking on the streets of Southampton.

Supported by police and health experts, our campaign encourages adults and parents to take a more active and responsible role in teaching them about the harmful effects of alcohol and to think before supplying them with drink.

Millbrook-based Sergeant Kerry Loveless said: "This is the second time we have run this operation in Shirley this year.

"We feel it has been a great success - we have seen a definite reduction in our crime statistics.

"We have confiscated everything from alcopops to seriously strong forms of alcohol such as whisky, vodka or very strong cider."