Resorts like Faliraki are popular with young Britons

Resorts popular with young British holidaymakers have seen a sharp rise in violent crime in recent years.

Last year, the Rhodes resort of Faliraki hit the headlines when a number of Britons were arrested for offences ranging from lewd behaviour to drugs.

Now, Greek authorities plan to nip trouble in the bud by introducing what they call the "invisible solution" - undercover patrols targeting the holiday hotspots favoured by 18 to 30-year-olds.

A spokeswoman for the Greek National Tourist Organisation told BBC News Online the plain-clothes officers would adopt a "softly-softly" approach.

The spokeswoman said: "Because of what happened last summer, the local authorities decided to get together and do something about it.

Advice leaflet

"The civilian-clothed policemen will mingle with the tourists, not just to look out for trouble, but to assist them and as a preventative measure.

"The idea is not to stop people having a good time, but to try to stop things getting out of hand".

She said the patrols would also be there to help tourists who got into trouble or needed assistance.

The spokeswoman also welcomed moves by the UK Foreign Office (FO) to increase young tourists' awareness of potential dangers when travelling abroad.

The FO released a leaflet last week aimed at the 18-30 age group warning of the need for vigilance following a rise in violent and sexual assaults in holiday resorts.

The FO said the number of reported rapes of British tourists has more than doubled in five years from 61 in 1997 to 129 in 2002 - with Greece accounting for 34 cases.

The FO reviewed its travel advice to Greece last summer, strongly advising women never to accept lifts from strangers or acquaintances.