The new leaseholders of a Borehamwood pub have become the first in the area to adopt ultra-violet lighting to catch people taking drugs on the premises.

The Shooting Star, in Rossington Avenue, Borehamwood, reopens tomorrow, with the owners promising a zero-tolerance' policy on drugs.

AVJ Leisure, leasing the pub from brewers Admiral Taverns, has installed three UV lights by the entrance to the toilets and front doors.

The lights project on to customers and will illuminate any illegal substances on people's faces. Jay Diesel, of AVJ Leisure, said: "This sends out a strong message that we will not tolerate any kind of substance abuse."

Mr Diesel, 32, said CCTV had also been installed and footage of drug-takers would be forwarded to police. The New Zealand-born businessman added: "We have had to take these measures as part of of our licence requirements.

"But we are also keen for The Shooting Star to be a family pub and so we have adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards drugs." The re-fit has taken six weeks and cost nearly £200,000.

With the national ban on smoking in public being introduced from July 1, the pub has also built an outside facility for smokers.

Phil Andrews, principal licencing officer at Hertsmere Borough Council, said: "The pub is the first in the district to have that type of lighting, which should pick up traces of illegal substances around the nose and mouth."

Sgt Nat Landau, a licencing sergeant with Hertfordshire Constabulary, based at Borehamwood police station, said The Shooting Star was acting as a "responsible licenced premises". We will always support responsible licenced premises in their attempts to prevent drug-taking."