POLICE are trying to crackdown on an 'escalation' of anti-social behaviour in Darwen and have introduced a dispersal order in the town centre for 48 hours.

Last night, officers and Blackburn with Darwen Children's Services took part in 'Operation StaySafe'.

It involved removing children from streets who may be classed as vulnerable or at risk of 'significant harm'.

Sgt Shaun Pearson said: "These children or young people are removed into Police Protection and taken to a designated place of safety. At this place of safety the child’s parents or guardians are asked to attend.

"The focus of this operation is not to place children in care but to ensure that the child realises that their actions or whereabouts may place them in significant danger or harm and to make their parents aware of this fact in relation to parental responsibility.

"It also highlights to children’s services any children or families that require further support."

After the operation, police have decided to put the Dispersal Order in place under Section 34 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

Sgt Pearson added: "This gives the police the power to exclude any person from the identified area until 2pm Monday if they have or are likely to cause members of the public harassment, alarm or distress, or to prevent crime.

"If an excluded person re-enters the area within that time they can be arrested.

"I am not saying every young person in Darwen Town Centre is up to no good and should be ‘banned’.

"It’s only people causing an issue, whatever age they are, who will be affected by this.

"Additional Police resources will be in Darwen to ensure this is robustly enforced.

"I again ask parents to be a little inquisitive with their children. Who are they out with and where are they going?

"Also do they know what time to be home, we have 12, 13, and 14 year olds still about at midnight around the town centre.

"We continue to investigate and compile evidence for offences that have been happening around the town centre over recent months.

"This week two boys aged 13 and 14 years have been interviewed regarding multiple offences ranging from shoplifting, assaults to burglary."