Action is being taken to crack down on under-age drinking and vandalism in Didcot.

Police have written to off-licence and supermarket owners urging them to take extra care when young people try to buy alcohol.

Members of the town council are considering whether to employ 'neighbourhood wardens' to patrol the area.

It is hoped these measures will curb the rising cost of damage to the Civic Hall, parks, children's play areas and other public amenities.

Problems include play equipment being repeatedly damaged and roadside rubbish bins across the town being destroyed by vandals torching litter.

Windows and tiles have been smashed at the Civic Hall, cars vandalised in the car park and a wall partly demolished in Broadway Gardens.

Three more windows have been broken at the Jubilee Hall, base of Didcot and District Guides Association, this week after three other smashed panes were replaced with reinforced glass.

Another measure being considered is the substitution of railings for walls at the Civic Hall and Broadway allotments at a cost of thousands of pounds.

Council staff have repeatedly removed drug paraphernalia as well as drink cans and bottles from behind the walls at the sites where young people can hide from view.

It is hoped the railings would protect the areas from vandals, as open railings would make them less private.

Insp Chris Parker, of Didcot police, who will assign an officer to carry out a crime reduction survey at the Civic Hall, said: "As this week's headlines indicate, the problem of under-age drinking and drugs is widespread, even including royalty."

He said drinking was a worse problem in Didcot than illegal drugs among young people. Insp Parker has written to off-licences urging staff to be vigilant.

Police know the difficulty of establishing a person's age.

But Insp Parker told off-licensees in a letter: "Obviously, if there is any doubt then I would expect that person not to be served."

He also highlighted the problem of older people purchasing alcohol for under-age drinkers. He said: "As a service, we are often swimming against the tide of these types of complaints and my officers are stretched to capacity.

"Please ask your staff to be mindful of this, especially if there are youngsters hanging around or the quantities purchased are questionable."

Mike McNulty, leader of the town council, said he hoped the authority would ask the Home Office for funding to employ neighbourhood wardens, similar to those in Abingdon.

Despite the police letter, Norman Hunter, a spokesman for Unwins off-licence on Broadway, said: "Staff are trained not to serve young people unless they are able to prove their age with a Portland Identity Card, a 10-year passport, a Citizens Card or a new driving licence -- all of which include a photograph."