TEENAGERS behaving badly are to be banned from an area of West Swindon plagued by yobs.

From today a dispersal order comes into force covering Shaw Ridge Leisure Park and the West Swindon Centre.

It gives police the power to expel groups of people who are intimidating, harassing, alarming or distressing members of the public.

They will also be able to frogmarch unruly children under 16 back to their homes between the hours of 9pm and 6am.

Anyone refusing to leave or returning within 24 hours may be arrested and could face a fine or up to three months' imprisonment.

Anti social behaviour is a broad term that can include anything from a boy kicking a football to a persistent campaign of intimidation by gangs of youths.

Insp Ian Bamber of Swindon police, who is overseeing the order, admitted that to some people even the presence of young people was enough to make them feel intimidated.

But he said the situation in West Swindon was becoming more serious.

From January 1 to mid April, police received reports of 96 incidents in the area covered by the dispersal order, mainly of rowdy youths running around, shouting abuse and causing a nuisance.

It was felt that something should be done before the area became a no-go zone for many people.

"There are a lot of businesses in that area and the more that anti social behaviour goes on the less likely people will go to the area to shop and use the facilities," said Insp Bamber.

He denied that the order, which will run until October 31, was an attempt to rid the area of young people who simply liked to hang out in groups of people their own age.

"We are not out to criminalise every youngster in the area," he said. "The majority of youngsters are fine. It's always the minority which give the group a bad name."

The introduction of the dispersal order in West Swindon follows the successful trial of a similar one in Stratton, which has been in operation since March.