DRINK and drug-related violent crime fell in Hampshire this Christmas.

Police say the number of offences committed in December dropped by 14 per cent on figures from the same month a year earlier.

The number of recorded substance-related violent crimes in the county fell by 167, from 1,215 in 2007 to 1,048 in 2008.

Police say the statistics show their drive to cut alcohol-fuelled problems in the run-up to Christmas was a success.

The force made cracking down on drink-related violence its number one priority over the festive period, putting extra officers on patrol and launching initiatives to persuade revellers to behave better.