A CAMPAIGN aimed at cutting down excessive Christmas drinking and domestic violence is being launched in York city centre this evening.

The Safer York Partnership will be in St Helen’s Square from 7pm tonight, handing out vouchers for a free soft drink at a number of York pubs and bars as part of its ALTN8 campaign.

In the run-up to Christmas, the operation will see police officers, council staff, drug rehabilitation and youth workers, firefighters and domestic violence specialists working together through high-visibility police patrols, public engagement and education.

The aim is to encourage revellers to alternate their nights out with evenings at home and alternate their alcoholic drinks with soft drinks.

On Friday and Saturday evenings clips showing binge-drinking awareness messages will be played from a media van located in various points across the city centre.