Spurtle readers looking forward to some alcohol-fuelled violence and disorder this Christmas had better think again.
'More Christmas Presence' began on 27 November. It's a multi-agency campaign to curb booze-related trouble over the festive season. The Edinburgh Community Safety Partnership, Lothian and Borders Police, the City of Edinburgh Council and British Transport Police are all involved.
The campaign is part of Operation Astrodome, which started in 2007 and comprises a wide variety of partnership safety initiatives during the Christmas/Hogmanay period.
Organisers claim that, thanks to the initiative, the crime rate in Edinburgh's city centre dipped 16 per cent in December 2008.
(Photo courtesy of CEC.)