THE Norfolk Broads police patrol was officially launched for the summer yesterday - and already drunken Bank Holiday cruisers have been stopped in their tracks, sending a clear message that bad behaviour on the Broads will not be tolerated.

THE Norfolk Broads police patrol was officially launched for the summer yesterday - and already drunken Bank Holiday cruisers have been stopped in their tracks, sending a clear message that bad behaviour on the Broads will not be tolerated.

Two hired cruisers were taken off the water over the weekend because of drink-related behaviour, in an effort by the Broads Beat to keep the waterways safe and ensure that other people's experiences are not spoilt.

It will be the 13th season that Broads Beat constables patrol the busy waterways full of high-spirited holiday makers and boating businesses, keeping an eye out for crime, ensuring the safety of the river users and generally looking out for the boating community.

Hard to miss, the officers do the rounds for 10 hours a day in a bright orange launch covering 125 miles of river both on the water and foot.

Broads Beat officer, PC Jon Hopes, said: “People using the river are always very pleased to see us and they always want to talk to us.”

He said that there were one or two people that ruined it for everybody but that their high visibility kept people's behaviour respectable and deterred people from misbehaving on boats.

Last year the beat discovered a wanted criminal who was hiding on a boat at Thorpe River Green, Norwich, a serial outboard motor thief was also caught through the efforts of Broads Beat and there were 57 stop and searches, seven arrests and 600 cautions were made.

Two officers and a launch are provided by the Norfolk police but commercial sponsors provide training and additional equipment to provide the patrol.