UNBELIEVABLE was the only word American police officer Brian Smith could find to describe a Saturday night in Colchester.

The officer arrived in Essex from Columbus, in Ohio, last Tuesday to experience for himself traditional English policing.

As part of his visit he chose to spend a shift with the Colchester town team, policing the area from 10pm to 4am.

At shortly before midnight, the Gazette asked him to sum up what he had seen.

"I just cannot believe it," he said.

"There are a lot of people out drinking, I'm amazed at the number of people. And it is so early yet they are so drunk.

"I think people in America don't drink this heavily, or not that I've ever seen.

"Women are out by themselves here, but in America people are in groups of five or ten, never less than that, let alone on their own.

"It just seems like people are less responsible here."

In America you have to be 21 to drink, but even then Officer Smith said the drinking culture is very different.

He said the only places where you get large groups of people coming together to drink are at universities and colleges, but even then the police are almost never needed.

Officer Smith added that they don't have anything like the "town centre" with pubs, clubs and bars in one place.