Extra police officers and taxi marshalls will patrol cities and towns

Funding of �600,000 has been made available by the Scottish Executive.

It will be aimed at providing extra policing, late night taxi marshalls amd support for domestic abuse services in four cities and eight towns.

Money will go to community safety partnerships in Glasgow and towns across the West of Scotland, Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh.

Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson announced the funding at a Safer Scotland pre-Christmas roadshow in Dumbarton.

She said: "This should be a time for all people to come together and celebrate - not a time to come together and fight.

"Alcohol is sadly a factor in that and this extra funding should help authorities to minimise the impact of excessive drinking."

Glasgow will receive �100,000, while Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh will receive �60,000.

Alloa, Kilmarnock, Greenock, Irvine, Coatbridge, Paisley, Hamilton and the Dumbarton area will get �40,000.