POLICE in Bolton are leading the way when it comes to dealing with yobs in hospital.

The first national pilot scheme to hand out £80 on-the-spot fines to violent patients in accident and emergency at the Royal Bolton Hospital was launched last November and has been hailed a huge success by medical staff and police officers.

A three-month trial ended in February, but since then doctors, nurses and other medical staff have been passing on contact details of abusive patients to the police, who have still been issuing the fines.

So far seven people have been referred to the police and two fines have been issued, with the others pending.

PC Andrea Brown, whose patch covers the hospital, said: "The scheme has gone really well and other forces have been really impressed with it.

"The staff feel more secure and much more positive. The message is definitely getting across to people and there are posters everywhere which have worked as a deterrent."

Forces across the country have been so impressed with the results from Bolton that they are planning to follow suit.

Officers from Durham have already visited the Farnworth hospital, and police from Northern Ireland have contacted the team to get more details about how to implement it.

The Royal Bolton Hospital's accident and emergency department treats about 100,000 people a year, with between 300 and 320 patients being seen there every day. Between April 2006 and September 2006 there were 40 incidents where security staff had to escort people out of A & E because of their behaviour.

Heather Edwards, head of communications at the Royal Bolton Hospital, said: "We've referred seven people to the police under the scheme for anti-social behaviour in accident and emergency.

"We hope the scheme will continue to send out the message that such behaviour will not be tolerated."