DARTMOUTH Music Festival bosses are laying on special youth-only events this year in an attempt to avoid the drunkenness, violence and vandalism that marred last year's event.

They plan to turn Coronation Park into a virtually free venue for youth music which will be a 'protected' and strictly alcohol-free during the three-day event.

One of the aims is to get youngsters involved in the festival, which sees music of all kinds going ahead at venues from pubs to churches.

Another is to get the town's youngsters and visiting young people off the streets and away from booze, which was partly responsible for last year's festival mayhem.

Organisers have already raised £700 towards the £2,900 cost of organising the 'youth project' and the town council is about to weigh in with another £1,000.

Festival committee member Alan Depledge said: "We want to do something to include the kids. We wanted a separate venue that is alcohol-free and secure. It will help police to control the situation, and there will be fewer people roaming the streets."

The festival, which last year saw more than 80 acts performing over the three days, is now in its 13th year and attracts visitors from as far afield as the USA and New Zealand.

Last year the fun degenerated into a succession of drunken fights and vandalism as some people of all ages treated it more like a beer festival than a music festival, police said at the time.

Trouble flared as gangs of youths from other towns clashed with local youths, but police have made it clear that the problem drinkers and troublemakers came from across the age range.

Festival chairman Pam Braakenburg (pictured) explained to the council's finance committee the project involved working closely with the police and area youth workers to reduce the number of 'bored and badly behaved youngsters' on the streets by providing a safe, controlled area away from booze and drugs.

The Coronation Park scheme would involve local bands with free entry or at most a nominal charge of around £1.

Mr Depledge told councillors that the youth venue would act as a 'safe haven' for 13 to 17 year olds not only from the town itself but the visiting youngsters as well.