A BOOZE ban is to be stepped up in Dorchester town centre after the success of a bylaw in the town's gardens.

Police are joining forces with councils and the area's crime prevention panel to expand the zone to more streets, walks and parks.

The action comes after the success of a ban in Dorchester Borough Gardens and nearby Bowling Alley Walks.

Wally Gundry, chairman of Dorchester's crime prevention panel, backed the extension of the zone to give police powers.

He said: "The ban has worked so far and it would do no harm whatsoever to extend it.

"It may help to relieve the fears of some of the older residents who see people drinking by the river or in Salisbury Fields."

He added: "People have felt safer since the bylaw was introduced, especially in Bowling Alley Walks."

The current ban gives police discretionary powers to ask people to stop drinking, confiscate alcohol and make arrests if they are causing a nuisance and avoid warnings.

People are allowed to drink under the terms of the bylaw as long as they do not cause trouble.

Mr Gundry said that the town had taken a 'softly softly' approach to stopping rowdy drunks and vagrants causing trouble.

The new zone is pencilled in to include the riverside walks, town centre, Salisbury Fields, Kings Road fields and Sandringham Sports Centre fields.

Insp Andy Mason, head of Dorchester Police, said the force was working with West Dorset District Council, the crime prevention panel and Dorchester Town Council for the scheme.

He added that the town's new community support officers had successfully defused problems with vagrants and drinkers. Mr Gundry, a former mayor, claimed people would not be targeted if they were behaving.

He said: "If people are drinking and behaving themselves they have nothing to worry about.

"If people are having a drink and making a nuisance of themselves then they will have to take the consequences."

The comments come after assaults in Dorchester but Mr Gundry said he did not think the violence was particularly due to drunkenness.