WEYMOUTH’S Street Pastors are celebrating after handing out their 2,500th pair of flip flops during a nightly patrol.

Christian volunteers take to the streets every Friday and Saturday night from 10pm to 4am to help troubled clubbers and pub-goers in the town centre.

Since it began in June 2008 the scheme has been praised numerous times by police, paramedics and licensees for helping to keep the streets safer.

Team members Jill and Phil handed over the 2,500th pair of flip flops to yet another grateful young woman to save her walking barefoot in the town centre streets.

Team leader Mick Richardson said: “Fashion is one thing but there comes a point where comfort takes precedence.

“Earlier in the evening we had cleared up a lot of broken glass so we know just how dangerous it might be for young ladies to discard the high heels and walk barefoot as some do.

“That’s why we like to give people the offer of flip flops."

This represents another milestone for the charitable organisation, set up by local churches in Weymouth and Portland to provide support and advice to revellers enjoying the town’s bars and clubs.

Street Pastor co-ordinator Ken Crafer added: “We are grateful to the council, the police, the staff in the pubs and clubs and to the public for all of the cooperation and support that they give to us.

“We couldn’t do what we do without this support.

“Two of Friday night’s team have been street pastors since we started in June 2008, and we still have more volunteers from the local churches joining us.

“We hope we can continue to help late night revellers for many years to come.”

They are one of over 250 similar schemes operating in towns and cities throughout the UK.

To date the Weymouth volunteers have been on the streets over 580 times and have given over 14,000 ‘volunteer’ hours to the town.

For more information contact Ken Crafer on 07425 146134 or 01305 777416, email weymouth@|streetpastors.org.uk or visit their website weymouth.streetpastors.org.uk