A PUB is to go ahead with a controversial cheap-drinks night, despite pleas from the police to reconsider.

Churchill's, Accrington, plan to tell customers: "Drink as much as you can for £10" tomorrow.

Managers of the Cannon Street venue say it is their way of celebrating its new late licence.

But police fear it could lead to excessive drinking and trigger violence in the town centre in the early hours of Saturday. They raised concerns on the same day crime-reduction charity Nacro called for happy hours to be banned over fears that they lead to violent crime.

Sergeant Julian Platt, who coordinates the policing of the town centre, said: "This is not the sort of thing I would like to see Accrington promoting.

"We have reminded the licensee of their responsibility and will be keeping a close eye on them. We will have high-profile policing in the town centre as usual and police will be vigilant.

"If there should be any problems we will deal with them as severely as we can and this will effect future applications for a licence extension."

Councillor Dave Parkins, who has voiced concerns about some town centre pubs in the past, said: "It is just stupid and encouraging trouble. Maybe 80 per cent of trouble in the country is drink related and this is adding fuel to the fire."

John Royle, from the Greater Manchester and Lancashire Alcohol and Drugs Service said: "I am quite appalled by this. People will make themselves ill if they can drink as much as they want and it will create crime problems."

But council leader Peter Britcliffe said: "If Iceland has a buy-one-get-one-free offer on, I don't get so much stuff as to need a new freezer. We have to trust people to behave and as long as the police are around if there are any problems, it should be allowed to go ahead."

Angela Calvert, assistant manager at Churchill's, said: "More and more town centre pubs are getting late licences but we have very loyal customers who are in every night so this is our thank-you to them. If it proves to be a success we will look at having it on a regular basis.

"I'm not worried as I can't see there being any problems. We have taken advice from police with regard to extra door staff and have the radio link to the police station and CCTV."