LATE night revellers are to be told to “take responsibility for their actions” by police officers.

As part of a new campaign called Safe Night Out, officers will be speaking to young people on their way out and at the end of the night encouraging them not to drink too much and making sure women know who they are going home with.

Detective Inspector Callie Bradley from the force's Public Protection Unit said: "Research shows young people aged between 13 and 24 are most likely to become victims of a serious sexual offence between 9pm and 3am on Friday and Saturday nights and that the number of rapes and serious sexual offences increase between June and August.

"This campaign aims to tackle that issue and that is why we are putting more officers on our streets over the next three weekends."

Det Insp Bradley added: "Drinking to excess might seem like fun at the time, but it can make you extremely vulnerable - whether you're a man or a woman.

"When you drink your inhibitions are much lower, which might cause you to take risks you wouldn't usually take.

“This could mean going home with someone you don't know and - in the worst cases - end up being a victim or offender of a serious sexual offence.”

"While we want young people to enjoy themselves during a night out, it is important that they take responsibility for their actions so they don't wake up with regrets in the morning."