48-hour dispersal order in place at Cornish beach following antisocial behaviour
It means groups can't gather in an area of Polzeath
A 48-hour dispersal order has been put in place at a Cornish beach, meaning groups of people can't gather there.
Police have issued it for an area of Polzeath following reports of antisocial behaviour.
Officers say emergency life-saving equipment has been vandalised and alcohol bottles have been smashed on the beach, with large amounts of litter left.
The direction to leave notice is in place from 10pm on Thursday 14th until 10pm on Saturday 16th July.
Police have been running multi-agency patrols in the area with the environmental protection and ASB teams from Cornwall Council, Polzeath Beach rangers, and officers from the licensing and neighbourhood teams.
They are working to tackle antisocial behaviour and keep people safe.
In a statement on social media, Devon & Cornwall Police said: "Under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 a direction to leave/dispersal order has been put in place as defined by the map (above) as it is reasonably suspected that behaviour has or is likely to contribute to:
"Members of the public in the locality being harassed alarmed or distressed, or the occurrence in the locality of crime and disorder and it is believed that putting a section 35 direction in place is necessary for the purpose of removing or reducing the likelihood of these events occurring.
"Over the past few nights police have received reports of alcohol related anti-social behaviour as well as criminal damage including emergency life-saving equipment being damaged. Alcohol bottles have been smashed on the beach and a large amount of litter left.
"This is unacceptable and due to this, a direction to leave has been put in place for 48 hours.
"This prevents groups gathering in the area of the map. If you fail to comply you can be arrested and anyone under the age of 16 can be removed to their home address."