Police in Devon have unveiled a new weapon in their fight to reduce late night rowdiness - free lollipops.

Officers have been working with nightspots to reduce the noise caused by drunken clubbers roaming the streets after closing time.

The sweets are being distributed at the door of a nightclub in Bideford in the hope that revellers will not be able to shout or cause a disturbance while sucking on them.

Pc Paul Dawe, who was inspired by a similar scheme in Canada, said the idea has been successful in reducing late night din in the town's streets.

Fewer fights

"The people leaving the club are calmer, there has been a reduction in the fights and the general noise from that particular club," he said.

The owner of the club had decided to give away different flavours of lollipops on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, in order to keep interest high, he added.

It is not the first time that sweet-toothed drinkers have been targeted.

The University of London student union began giving out lollipops a year ago to cut the noise from students leaving the bar.

The scheme was hailed a success and the union said complaints had fallen sharply since the sweets were handed out.