A POLICE bid to crackdown on unruly youths on a troubled estate has been described by local councillors as "plain silly".

Cleveland Police said it would use powers introduced under the Government's much trumpeted Anti Social Behaviour Act 2003 to create a no-go area for youths in the Burnmoor Close area of Redcar, east Cleveland.

But ward councillors Brenda Forster and Norman Davies said the restrictions would simply move youngsters to a different part of the estate.

From Monday, any youths who gather in groups in Burnmoor Close, Blayberry Close and Kent Close and cause intimidation, distress or harassment risk being dispersed and taken home by police.

The powers also mean police can ban youngsters not living in those areas from going on to the streets and arrest them if they refuse to leave.

But Coun Forster said: "It is plain silly - all the area should have been covered instead of just one half. At night it's like Las Vegas round here and nobody goes to bed.

"The kids will now just run rings round the police. There is a main road which runs through the estate and they will just cross to the other side."

Burnmoor Close was in the headlines last year when teenager Chris Cave was stabbed to death in the street.

A Cleveland police spokeswoman said the scheme had its limitations, but said the areas covered would be under review.

The force says it has already had success using similar powers in Saltersgill, Middlesbrough.

The spokeswoman said: "Obviously, if you step outside the exclusion zone you can't be targeted with these powers and it may be that if youths are bordering on other areas and causing problems then it may be extended.

"We have to start somewhere and we are looking at areas where people congregate around shops and pubs."

Councillor Joyce Benbow, cabinet member for community safety at Redcar and Cleveland Council, which is backing the scheme, said: "We hope this will reduce complaints from residents who say their lives are being made a misery.

"We have had reports of all sorts of incidents ranging from threatening behaviour to fighting among themselves and setting fire to wheelie bins.

She accepted the scheme had drawbacks but said it was a pilot, learning exercise.