GROUPS of teenagers are to be banned from loitering in Wirral's wealthiest suburbs by new anti-social behaviour laws used in a number of Merseyside's estates.

Police are creating dispersal zones to combat spates of vandalism and intimidation by teenagers travelling from other parts of the borough.

Bromborough is to be the first area to benefit from the legislation after residents reported slashed car tyres, graffiti and attacks on homes.

Ward councillor Dave Mitchell said: "The area seems to have become a magnet for youths from outside the area. I don't know what the attraction is but dubious characters that don't live round here are turning up and causing trouble. I have been pushing for police to introduce this for months and hope it will give them the powers to stop the spate of vandalism and nuisance behaviour that has been making decent people's lives a misery."

Bromborough is the latest neighbourhood in the borough to have a designated area, after the creation of zones in Greasby, West Kirby and Noctorum.

Police and council leaders said the dispersal zones had worked incredibly well in tackling anti-social behaviour, there had been a big drop in crime, and people feel safer.

The new zone is in the area around Eastham Rake.

Neighbourhood inspector Cliff Barr said his team had already succeeded in targeting anti-social behaviour in areas causing greatest concern. He added: "This has been tremendously successful, but there are still some youths who persist in acting anti-socially and their behaviour is not acceptable.

"Like our colleagues in West Kirby, Greasby and Noctorum we are determined to use every power available to us to stop this behaviour and take come action against offenders."

The zone is due to come into force from Friday February 11, and will cover the Eastham Rake area between the junctions of Mill Park Drive and Delamere Avenue.

Officers will have powers to disperse groups of two or more people and arrest anyone returning within 24 hours. They can also enforce a curfew of 9pm for under-16s.

The designated zone set up in Greasby, Wirral last May was described as an overwhelming success and, combined with other police operations, had led to an 88% drop in the numbers of calls to the police regarding disorder, and a 22% drop in crime.

Wirral area commander Chief Supt Alan Jones said: "Anti-social behaviour is a scourge on law abiding communities and we feel sure the use of designated areas will help to return some peace to residents."