NIGHT buses to ferry home boozy revellers could be piloted on weekend nights in St Helens town centre come October.

The Star understands the bus service's introduction is close to getting the green light after surveys carried out among pub and bar-goers came back with positive feedback.

It is likely the buses will run from 12.30 to 3am on five different routes, with passengers being charged a fare of somewhere between £2 or £3 to get home.

As revealed exclusively earlier this year the buses will be introduced in an attempt to clear the town centre of drunken clubbers in the early hours.

With 20,000 visitors now coming to St Helens night-scene over a weekend following the rapid growth in the number of bars in the past five years, levels of violence have soared.

Crammed taxi ranks and offices where visitors can sometimes face lengthy waits are often flashpoints for trouble.

Police hope the buses will reduce pressure on taxi firms and the town centre cleared more rapidly.

Last month police warned bar goers not to walk home alone after several young men were assaulted.