POLICE have hailed a high visibility operation at the Royal Bolton Hospital a success.

Extra patrols were drafted in to accident and emergency over the festive period in a bid to stamp out violent and anti-social behaviour.

And officers say the extra presence meant people were better behaved.

Just two people were arrested during the two-week operation, with a further seven warned about their behaviour.

No £80 on-the-spot fines were handed out for abusive or violent behaviour.

Chf Insp Martin Greenhalgh of Bolton police said: "Anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated anywhere in Bolton and in previous years there has been a high level of this behaviour in accident and emergency.

"The Royal Bolton Hospital are working with the police to reduce this and there have been virtually no incidents at all.

"All staff within accident and emergency now feel confident to report incidents of anti-social behaviour to the police who can administer swift criminal justice."

The statistics have been released as the British Medical Association revealed one in three doctors nationally have been physically or verbally attacked in the last 12 months.

One in 10 have been physically assaulted, with many punched, kicked, stabbed or bitten.

The Royal Bolton became the first hospital to bring police in to casualty during a pilot scheme between November 2006 and February last year.

Since then, doctors, nurses and other medical staff have been passing on contact details of abusive patients to police, who are still issuing the fines.

Heather Edwards, head of communications at the Royal Bolton Hospital, said: "It seems that the increased police presence and the possibility of fixed penalty fines did act as a deterrent to anti social behaviour and also was very reassuring to patients and staff. "

Figures show violent patients and their families attacked 42 hospital staff between March 2006 and April 2007 - six fewer than in the previous 12 months.

Permanent security staff are also employed at the hospital, backed by CCTV. Almost 2,000 Royal Bolton staff have been given conflict training.

Joyce Robinson, chairman of the Unison Bolton health branch, said: "One in 10 NHS staff attacked is one in 10 too many. We encourage all staff to report any form of violence so these incidents can be dealt with properly."