MP Claire Ward braved a Friday night out in Watford at the weekend as she was escorted by police around the town centre.

Ms Ward, a Government Justice Minister, went on the fact-finding mission on Friday night, remaining with officers until 3am the following morning.

She said the trip had helped her understand the challenges faced by the police and her constituents in the town centre and also provided new policy ideas.

The Labour representative also argued the new police strategy of patrolling in numbers near the town’s many bars and clubs, rather than directly outside, appears to have proved successful in defusing the previously “confrontational” environment.

She added: “That is what people want. They want to know that the police aren’t just patrolling the town centre but are free on a Friday and Saturday night to deal with problems in their areas.”

Ms Ward said she was encouraged by officers’ willingness to make use of proposed future legislation on conditional cautions, that will allow minor incidents to be settled more quickly.