Bottles of alcohol will be marked with an invisible pen

Shopkeepers in Ayrshire are marking up hundreds of popular drinks with codes which are specific to their shop.

Police who catch any underage drinkers with the illicit booze can then trace it back to the point of sale.

Officers are promising to investigate each case and prosecute any adults found selling drink to young people.

Police will also continue to confiscate the alcohol from the children themselves. Letters will be sent to the parents of any youths caught and identified.

Drinks being coded include tonic wines, cider and alcopops, notoriously popular among young drinkers.

The bottle marking scheme will help identify those who sell to under 18s and those adults who buy alcohol for youngsters Ch Supt Hamish Cormack

More than 100 shops and licensed premises across Ayrshire are taking part in the pilot scheme for the next eight weeks.

It has been put together by officers in the licensing department of Kilmarnock Police, who are concerned at the growing problem of alcohol-fuelled trouble in the area.

In the last four months of 2006, officers found 264 youths under 18 indulging in underage drinking across Ayrshire.

About 40% of all calls received by the force relate to youth disorder, the force has also revealed.

Divisional Commander for Ayrshire, Ch Supt Hamish Cormack said officers were regularly dealing with youths drinking, causing a nuisance and vandalism.

Alcohol confiscated

He said: "Whilst police are keen to stress that most licensed premises act responsibly, local intelligence has shown that most underage drinkers get their alcohol from off sales outlets or from adults buying it on their behalf.

"The bottle marking scheme will help identify those who sell to under 18s and those adults who buy alcohol for youngsters.

"Anyone found to be involved in this will be prosecuted."

Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson has backed the scheme.

She said: "Too many communities are still suffering the misery of antisocial behaviour, too many town and city centres plagues by disorder.

"The misuse of alcohol is at the heart of much of this behaviour and when it is associated with knife-carrying can lead to tragic consequences for individuals and their families."