Police are to have extra powers to combat alcohol-related disorder in five public areas of Richmond and Catterick Garrison.

The discretionary powers of confiscation and arrest will apply to Ronaldshay park, the Batts, Castle Walk and Friary gardens, all in Richmond, and Coronation park at Catterick Garrison.

The areas were identified by Richmondshire community safety partnership as having particular problems with drink-related rowdy behaviour.

The district council community committee agreed on Tuesday to adopt the provisions of part of the Criminal Justice and Police Act, which came into force on September 1 2001 and replaced existing alcohol byelaws.

Police said the legislation, combined with the existing Confiscation of Alcohol (Young Persons) Act, would beef up their attempts to combat anti-social behaviour.

Sgt Mick Griffiths, of Richmond police, told the meeting the legislation did not ban drinking from the areas but allowed officers to deal more robustly with problems related to alcohol consumption.

"It is an enhancement of the powers police already have in relation to juveniles in particular," he said. "It is a useful add-on to our existing confiscation powers."

Richmond Town Council had wanted the legislation extended to cover the Market Place but Sgt Griffiths said officers had sufficient powers to deal with disorder there.

Designated areas had to be easily defined and there would be a question whether areas round the Market Place, such as Finkle Street and King Street, should be included.

Coun Katherine Carr asked that the community safety partnership and the police look closely at incidents of drink-related disorder in the Market Place and develop a strategy to deal with the problem. "If you are in the Market Place after 9pm on a Friday or Saturday, it can be very frightening indeed," she said.