Police to crack down on end of term parties in Newquay

The end-of-term exodus to the Cornish surf town of Newquay marks the start of independence for thousands of school leavers.

But rather than liberaty, students descending on the town this July will find themselves thrust into a sophisticated police operation to crack down on drunken revelry.

Called Operation Brunel, it will see police measures including the installation of a wireless CCTV dome and officers equipped with head-mounted cameras.

Police are expected to patrol trains in search of underage drinkers, while new arrivals will be welcomed by sniffer dogs searching for drugs. Cars travelling in and out will be monitored, with officers using stop-and-search powers, once associated with terrorism and inner-city crime.

The measures are an attempt to crackdown on underage drinking and yobbery that has become synonymous with end-of-term revelry. Police hope it will prevent a repeat of last year's chaos, during which two teenagers fell from the cliffs to their deaths.

Sir Ian Drummond-Smith, the head of the operation, said: "Those carrying drugs will be arrested, and underage drinkers will have alcohol confiscated and telephone calls made to their parents immediately."

The authorities hope that the move will replicate the success of operations to tackle the rowdiness that once marred the resorts of Rock and Polzeath, 10 miles up the coast, which became notorious for riotous parties held by public school pupils.