Four people were arrested after a dispersal was put in place in a town centre over the weekend.

Officers from the task force as well as officers from Morecambe and Lancaster neighbourhood policing teams targeted an area in Lancaster, and as a result arrested two women, two men and handed out 10 section 35 dispersal notices.

The two women were arrested on suspicion of public order offences after being witnessed by officers fighting in the city centre, with one of the women also for failing to comply with the dispersal order.

One man was arrested for being drunk and disorderly, and a second man was arrested for being drunk and disorderly and for being in possession of a bladed article.

Ten other people were issued with section 35 notices which direct them to leave the area for a specified amount of time.

Posting on the Lancaster police Facebook page a spokesperson for the force said: "Attached to this post is a map of the area to which the dispersal order applies and a section 35 notice will be issued if it is suspected that the behaviour of a person in this area has contributed to or is likely to contribute to:

  • members of public in the locality being harassed, alarmed or distressed, or
  • the occurrence in the locality of crime or disorder, and
  • that the PC or PCSO considers that giving a direction to the person is necessary for the purpose of removing or reducing the likelihood of the above."

A section 35 dispersal power can be used to deal with any individual aged 10 or over.

The spokesperson added: "Task force and neighbourhood policing teams would like to reassure the people of Lancaster that they will continue to robustly target this area in order to make the city centre a safe and pleasant place to be."