It sounds like something dreamed up by Lewis Carroll. This Christmas, police officers and doormen will hand out lollipops to drinkers emerging from pubs and clubs in a bid to stop them causing trouble in the streets.

Surreal it may be, but this is no Alice in Wonderland idea, according to West Mercia Constabulary, which has supplied 70,000 jolly lollies' to be handed out across the region.

It has been tried elsewhere in the country and, insist police chiefs, it actually works.

The scheme may sound silly, but anything that has a chance of reducing the toll of drink-related violence and vandalism is worth a try.

A few thousand lollies is a small price to pay given the cost of broken bones and windows - a cost that is bound to be even higher than usual at this time of year.

And while many will scoff, it is conceivable that lollies could actually cut crime.

The thinking goes that handing out lollipops creates a light-hearted moment that that will put drinkers in a good mood as they head home and make them less inclined to get sucked into trouble.

Meanwhile, increased numbers of police will be waiting to nab anyone who still insists on offending.

It just seems a shame that cutting crime in our towns and cities depends on a measure that is more often used to pacify troublesome toddlers.

But no one will care about that if we have a trouble-free Christmas on the streets of Worcester, Hereford, and towns across the region.

So, will the initiative reduce crime? We'll just have to suck it and see.