Street pastors will begin patrolling the streets of Abingdon on Friday nights in May to to help drunken revellers stay safe.

The Street Pastors programme, already running in Wantage and Oxford, was launched at Strattons nightclub on Wednesday by the Ascension Trust, which organises the UK scheme with the backing of police and town leaders.

Twelve people have already been recruited to hand out lollipops and water to drunken revellers and flip flops to shoeless party girls, and try to mediate in rows.

The Wantage scheme, which celebrated its first birthday in October, has helped 3,800 people so far.

Abingdon Baptist Church minister David Fleming said: “Our plan is to start on Friday nights because that is when the police say there is the greatest demand.

“Street pastors are not confrontational – this is not crime-fighting – we will be there to offer support.”

“We will try to help different people in different ways, including kids and young people staying out late.”

He said: “There are now 200 schemes around the country and as far as I know only one street pastor has ever been assaulted. I would rather be tucked up in my bed and wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t think it would make a difference.

Abingdon scheme administrator Debra McKnight said: “We have had a brilliant response.”