ANTISOCIAL behaviour and underage drinking face a new obstacle in the Naphill area shopkeepers.

Traders have teamed up with Thames Valley and RAF police to launch a new scheme aimed at eliminating the problem from their stores.

The Safe Shop Scheme was launched on Friday, December 16, and allows shopkeepers to relay information of any underhand behaviour to each other through a phone system.

Past problems have seen youths from outside the area attempting to purchase alcohol, and once refused, travel to another shop and try to do the same thing. But the new scheme aims to rid all shops of the problem by acting as an early warning system.

Christine Retziaff, manager of the Spar shop in Naphill, said: "It will be a big help.

"I think it is an absolutely great scheme because it is very difficult if one shop refuses someone alcohol because they will just go to another shop."

Mark Lundy, of the RAF police at nearby RAF Strike Command, said the scheme was only focusing on the Naphill and Walter's Ash area following concerns and was part of a "bigger picture" to sort problems.

PC Lee Turnham, local beat officer, added: "This is a follow-up operation.

"They have gone out of our area. Let us put this in place to stop them coming back."