Under a law more usually associated with anti-terrorism operations, British Transport Police are helping out Northern Constabulary officers in the strath.

Powers given under the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 allow officers to police areas beyond their normal railway patch if requested by another force.

Meanwhile, this summer's annual barbecue and ceilidh at the historic Ruthven Barracks on the outskirts of Kingussie has been cancelled by the town's community council for the first time since it was established more than two decades ago.

The watchdog group are concerned that it has become associated with under-age drinking.

Neither will there be a Gala Queen bash in the town, in the wake of problems caused by drunken teenagers at last year's dance.

Northern Constabulary has been focusing on under-age drinking in Aviemore and Kingussie for several weeks, with increased patrols and two officers dedicated to answer calls.

A force spokesman reported yesterday (Tuesday) that there had been a sudden drop in the number of incidents reported since the start of the new initiative.

As part of this, British Transport Police have been asked to send reinforcements from their base in Inverness or from on-board trains to help boost police numbers in Kingussie on several recent occasions.

The rise in reports of problems with teenage drinkers has also prompted community leaders to start discussions with Highland Council, the police and the prosecution service about introducing a ban on drinking alcohol in public places around the town.

The annual barbecue and dance at Ruthven Barracks has attracted hundreds of partygoers, but there are fears on the part of the organisers that the event could be hijacked by under-age drinkers.

"We see more kids out drinking at night, and due to the problems this causes, the community council voted unanimously to have nothing to do with the dinner dance at Ruthven this year," said chairman Sandy Bennett.

"We can't complain about under-agers drinking and then put on something where they have done that in the past. That would be completely hypocritical.

"The dance is for everybody, but it is mostly younger people who go. There have been a few problems in the past with children aged 15 or under coming with Coke bottles filled with drinks, so we have decided we could not be party to that."

Community councillor Gwynneth Wright, chair of the Kingussie Festivities Committee, also decided to cancel this year's Gala Queen Dance in response to problems last year and similar issues around the town.

"I was so humiliated, disappointed and upset by the behaviour of some that I said I would never do it again," she said.

"Because of all the bad behaviour, there will be no Gala Queen dance and no Gala Queen this year."

Louise Thomson, the Gala Queen from last year, was disappointed that she will not be able to crown her successor this year. "I do think it's a shame that some kids are ruining it for everyone," she said.

The two cancellations were a shock to teenagers.

Sandy Bennett at Ruthven Barracks.

One 16-year-old boy said: "It is really disappointing, but after last year's shenannigans, when it was like every teenager in Badenoch was steaming, it's maybe understandable.

"Everyone will complain, but it has been coming for ages. It's been like that for years and years."

Another added: "My parents go to it, and they will be really disappointed, but the ones who go out and get drunk have just spoiled it for themselves."

Kingussie rector John Tracey said that, while the school was responsible only for the behaviour of pupils while they were at school, he would ask colleagues who take social education classes to raise again the issue of under-age drinking with pupils.

"I am disappointed by the loss of an opportunity for people to enjoy themselves," he said. "It is a minority who have spoiled it for the majority. We will work as best we can within social education classes and stress the dangers of drink and drugs to educate pupils into behaving responsibly."

A spokesman for Northern Constabulary said: "There have been the same concerns about youth disorder in other areas, and we have an ongoing initiative to deal with that.

"We started four or five weeks ago in Boat of Garten, and there have been very good results there, so we are going to run it as much as possible through the summer in other areas.

"Obviously some weekends we can struggle with officer numbers, but we have at least two officers dedicated to youth disorder calls."

He added: "We also work with street workers, and at times have seized alcohol, made arrests and taken teenagers to the station and called their parents to come and collect them. We want to expand that to the rest of the area.

"It is very frustrating when people do not report disturbances and we only hear about them later, so we want anyone who has concerns to report them at the time, so that officers can deal with it."

A spokesman for British Transport Police confirmed that they had been assisting with policing duties locally. He said: "I wouldn't say it is routine, or every weekend, but the extended jurisdiction powers in the 2001 Act allow us to assist another force where there is a specific issue.

"We go when we can be of assistance, and that is normally targeted at a specific issue or location. It is pro-active partnership working."

One side-effect of the cancellation of the Ruthven barbecue is likely to be a funding headache for Kingussie Community Council, as the dance is its main annual fund-raising event.

"It normally makes up to £2,000, and was our only fund-raising event last year," said Mr Bennett, "so we will have to get our heads together to find other ways of bringing in money, or maybe we could run it in future for over-25s only, with age checks to make sure anyone under that age tries to sneak in."

g.burke@sbherald.co.uk

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