The full moon brings out the worst in British behavior, a study carried out by the Sussex Police force has claimed.
According to Inspector Andy Parr, who is responsible for patrols in Brighton at weekends,. "With each full moon, the number of disturbances recorded increased significantly."
The force is now preparing to put extra officers on the streets during full moons in a bid to curb unruly or anit-social behaviour.
Inspector Parr arrived at his conclusions after comparing the number of violent crimes recorded in the region last year with the date of each full moon and discovered a distinct correlation.
"I'm aware that this is just one of many things that can influence public disorder but if you speak to ambulance staff they will tell you exactly the same. It may be dismissed as an old wives' tale but there's plenty of other research to suggest that the moon has an impact on human behavioural patterns, the Daily Mail quoted him, as saying.
A study published by German scientists in 2000 claimed the full moon also sparked a rise in binge drinking.
The scientists checked police arrest reports and blood-alcohol tests of 16,495 offenders. Most of those with an excess of two ml of alcohol per 100 ml of blood - drunk, under German law - had been caught during the five-day full moon cycle.
{{/usCountry}}The scientists checked police arrest reports and blood-alcohol tests of 16,495 offenders. Most of those with an excess of two ml of alcohol per 100 ml of blood - drunk, under German law - had been caught during the five-day full moon cycle.
{{/usCountry}}Another study, published in 1998, discovered a rise in violent incidents among the 1,200 inmates at Armley Jail in Leeds during the days either side of a full moon.