PARK keepers could be handed new powers to tackle teenage anti-social behaviour.

A new bylaw will give police and Pendle Council the power to remove over 14s who are behaving ‘inappropriately’ from areas designated for under 14s in the borough’s parks.

Pendle Council is set to introduce the new bylaw as it wants to make the parks safer by ensuring games are played in a manner showing consideration and respect to other users.

The proposals, which will go to before Thursday’s executive, will also prevent anything which can cause serious nuisance or injury to other park users.

Julie Hibbert, parks outreach officer, said the plans had been put forward to give the council and police a tool to remove youths who were misbehaving.

She said: “We have lots of older children sat around in the playgrounds in the evenings drinking.

“All we want to do is to give ourselves a tool to act if we need to if people are not using the facilities in the correct manner.

“We did not have byelaw for the children's play areas before so we have added them.

“This is as a result of complaints we have had from people over offenders who are not acting in an appropriate manner in the parks.”

The bylaw, based on a model document prescribed by the Department of Communities and Local Government, has been put forward by the Parks Friends Group to help the park keepers carry out their work.

Coun Ann Kerrigan, executive member with responsibilities for parks and leisure, said: “The current bylaws in Pendle are a bit old so we thought it would be a good idea to update them and make them a bit more modern to deal with current day issues.

“The bylaw will require games and activities to be undertaken in an manner showing consideration and respect for other park users and the environment.”