ROWDY gangs are being targeted under new powers given to police from today.

Dorchester police chiefs have joined forces with West Dorset District Council to introduce a law enabling them to control public behaviour in the town's historic Borough Gardens.

Under the law, groups of two or more people who a uniformed police officer believes are about to act or are already acting in an anti-social way will be asked to disperse and leave the park and will not be able to return for 24 hours. Anyone who does return in that time could face arrest.

Sgt Nikki Pardey, who deals with anti-social behaviour for Dorset Police, said the new measure, which has been introduced under Section 30 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003, will run for six months until February 23 next year. She said a similar order covering the Esplanade in Weymouth had helped to tackle boy racers and youths hanging around and causing damage.

"The order is only aimed at people who are behaving in an anti-social way - for example, shouting abuse, throwing bottles and pulling up plants. If people are sitting there just having a chat and relaxing then obviously they are not going to be moved on," said Sgt Pardey.

She said she had been working with West Dorset District Council to introduce the order.

"It's a partnership between Dorset Police and West Dorset District Council. It's worked really well in Weymouth and we are confident that it will work well in the Borough Gardens."

Dorchester police chief Inspector Les Fry said he welcomed the order.

"I am very pleased that it's been brought in. This will give the police extra powers to deal with groups of people who are out to spoil the gardens that are there for the benefit of all the community.

"These gardens are a wonderful place to go to relax and spend some quiet time. We will do our best to prevent a few spoiling it for the many. We hope that once this order is in place that these people will stay away altogether or will behave in the gardens. We will deal with any breaches positively."