ANYONE who gets drunk this Christmas faces an £80 fine.

Police will be able to use a new power to issue on-the-spot fines to tackle drunkenness and booze-related disorder.

Chief Inspector Shaun Morley said: “We want to promote a sensible drinking culture and we feel the fixed penalty notices will create a safer environment for people to socialise in this Christmas.

“A fixed-penalty notice is a way for an officer to defuse a situation by not criminalising an individual for what can be seen as ‘silly’ drunken behaviour. The aims is to stop any violent incidents developing.”

As well as fining drinkers officers can ask people to stay away from a certain area, such as the town centre, for up to 48 hours.

Anyone who is fined can have their charge wavered if they attend two sessions to discuss alcohol misuse.

The fixed-penalty scheme was piloted in Sheffield and was deemed a success.