Residents in Mid Calder give their views on the problems At-a-glance

From Thursday, officers will have the power, under anti-social behaviour legislation, to disperse any group of two or more people in Mid Calder.

Police have had to deal with trouble ranging from the serious wounding of a teenager to damage to property.

An area of Aberdeen's Beach Boulevard was Scotland's first dispersal zone.

The no-go measure was applied to the Beach Boulevard under the Scottish Executive's anti-social behaviour laws.

The move in Mid Calder, although primarily aimed at gangs of young yobs, could also be applied to adults.

They don't want adult supervision because they can't drink, smoke or swear Margaret Jessop Villager

Any group of two or more in the village, which lies 12 miles outside Edinburgh and is popular with commuters, could either be moved on or arrested.

The dispersal powers will be effective within the designated zone between 5pm on Fridays and 2am on Saturdays; Saturdays from 5pm until 2am on Sundays and from 5pm until midnight on Sundays.

Between 1 August and 10 November, the police received 72 calls related to anti-social behaviour.

Officers have seized weapons ranging from baseball bats to planks of wood. In the most serious incident, a 16-year-old boy was seriously assaulted and suffered a fractured skull.

'Lawful business'

Supt Harry Watters said: "We've had seven or eight calls per night regarding gangs of up to 40 or 50 youths fighting in the area.

"We're trying to prevent not only gangs of youths coming into the area, so it will have a joint effect on local youths.

"People who're going about their lawful business need have no concerns whatsoever about the zone."

Police often find evidence of alcohol consumption in the area

He continued: "This measure won't tackle anti-social behaviour. It's really to give the community respite from the problems we've got.

"It's not a step that's been taken lightly, I can assure you. Long-term preventative measures are what we're after."

Long-time villager Margaret Jessop said Mid Calder, situated by the River Almond next to Livingston, had become unrecognisable and people felt threatened by the gangs which descended on the community, gathering in the streets.

Ms Jessop, a community councillor, said: "It's been quite intimidating, especially for some of the elderly people.

Comments to women

"It's quite frightening walking round the streets on a Friday or Saturday evening, when there are 40 youngsters.

"It is very frightening to women - you get comments made.

"We've tried youth clubs. They don't want adult supervision because they can't drink, smoke or swear."

Councillor Jim Swan, head of the West Lothian Council's community safety committee, said: "That amount of youths around is quite frightening and some of them have drink, etcetera. They can be quite aggressive.

"A dispersal order is simple for the police to enforce. If people don't move on at the first warning, they can be arrested.

"I think it will be pretty effective and hopefully bring peace back to the local community again."