Business leaders say family resorts are suffering from drunken louts

They fear that the reputation of Cornwall's family resorts could suffer with the holiday season only months away.

Dispersal orders allow police to break up groups of people where officers think there is potential for violence.

Police are planning a dispersal order at Cornish resort Polzeath this summer.

Beach ban

Rick Hopkins, of the Forum of Private Business in Cornwall, said: "The police have told us it helps build their case for a dispersal order if businesses tell them about the troublespots and keep a log of incidents.

"With the holiday season just months away it is absolutely critical that resorts such as Newquay and anywhere else in Cornwall are properly prepared to cope with the sudden influx of visitors and the obvious late night boozing that is going on these days."

Devon and Cornwall Police were unavailable for comment, but last month they were granted a new six-month dispersal order to run until early summer, covering Plymouth city centre.

It follows the success of a similar scheme over Christmas.

The plans for a dispersal order at Pleats in Cornwall follow complaints about late-night drinkers at nearby Daymer Bay which will be out of bounds between 2200 and 0300 this summer.

Dorset police are cracking down on yobbish behaviour in the resort of Bournemouth with 24-hour bans on troublemakers.

The six-month crackdown on anti-social behaviour began last month in the town centre.