There have been tensions between students and residents in the area

However, a senior police officer has said that extra resources will be used to tackle rowdy behaviour in the city's Holyland.

It follows complaints from residents in south Belfast who say they have to endure such behaviour on a nightly basis.

The area is a temporary home to thousands of students from the two universities and other colleges in the city.

In recent weeks, cars have been vandalised and mattresses dumped on the streets.

There have been late night parties, some of which have been continuing until 0500 BST, after which taxi horns blare to take party goers home.

Inspector Trevor O'Neill said arrests had been made for drinking and criminal damage offences during an operation over the past fortnight.

"We are trying to target more resources into the Holyland area," he said.

'Setting the tone'

"We are trying to set the tone for students who have arrived to university for the first time. They have this party atmosphere.

"Over the last two weeks, eight nights have been targeted and from that, we have had eight arrests in total.

"These have been for disorderly behaviour, drink driving, criminal damage, robbery and one noteable drugs arrest where we actually got four 'nine bars' of cannabis resin, 2,000 ecstasy tablets and a quantity of suspected crack cocaine."

In relation specifically to students, the police have reported:

• 20 students for breach of by-laws to Belfast City Council for drinking on the street.
• 10 students for urinating in the street
• four people for vehicle tampering
• six students for criminal damage
• 15 houses for noisy parties reported to Queen's University and the University of Ulster.

Inspector O'Neill said he was just one partner in a number of agencies dealing with this problem.

The quality of life for residents of Belfast's Holyland had been drastically affected, he said.

"We have changed our shift pattern deliberately to try and target the resources so that officers are on to 3am - 4am in the morning so that we can deal with this in the university sector.

"But we can't sustain that financially."

The inspector said police were working alongside Queen's University, the University of Ulster, Belfast City Council, Landlords' Association, Belfast Holyland Regeneration Association, City Church, the Housing Executive, Rugby Road Residents' Association and the Need to Know organisation.