A major crackdown is being launched by police determined to stop anti-social behaviour from rocketing over Halloween and Bonfire Night.

There will be more than 100 police officers a day walking the streets of the Borough over the next few weeks as they look to maintain a strong presence.

All Safer Neighbourhood Teams will be out and about on Halloween on Friday, and there will also be an Anti-Social Behaviour Order team searching for those who may be breaching their ASBOs.

Maurice Hartnett, Chief Inspector of Hillingdon Police, said: "We will deal with this pretty strongly. We are urging shops to crackdown on the selling of flour and eggs, and just use common sense - if a 14-year-old walks in and wants to buy six boxes of eggs and a few bags of flour he's not taking them home for his mum to use is he.

"We're not trying to stop young people enjoying themselves, but to realise that at a certain point in the evening their behaviour borders on being alarming and distressing.

"We're looking to police that quite strongly."

He also urged residents to put up 'no trick or treat' posters if they want to be left alone, and to make it look as if they are not in.

There will also be a dispersal zone in the south of the borough, covering Hayes and Yeading.

The police will also be carrying out test purchases of knives and fire works, to try to stop them falling into the wrong hands.

The police kicked off their twoweek crackdown with an anti-knife operation outside Liquid nightclub, in Uxbridge, last night (Tuesday).

In August, youngsters from West Drayton clashed on a 427 bus on Uxbridge Road with a gang from Acton who were on their way into Uxbridge, and it resulted in three stabbings.

More than 70 officers were involved last night, with a knife screening operation in Uxbridge alongside British Transport Police who operated on the 427 bus route.

Chief Inspector Hartnett said: "We are looking to maintain a high visibility, we are keen that the stabbings which occurred don't happen again."