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'Fighting men' cause Southend dispersal order

Essex Police Southend Dispersal Area mapEssex Police
The order covers the area bordered by London Road, Queensway, Southchurch Avenue, Marine Parade and Avenue Road to the junction with South London Road

A 10-hour dispersal order has been put in place in a seaside town after "fighting men" caused "distress" to residents.

Essex Police said the order, in the centre of Southend, will be in place from 20:00 BST until 06:00 on Monday.

It said there had been an increase in "disorder" in the town centre over the weekend and it will not "tolerate the behaviour".

The order covers the High Street and the town's pier.

Officers have been called out to reports of men fighting, particularly in Southend High Street, over the past couple of nights, police said.

Ch Insp Neil Pudney said: "The actions of these individuals has caused significant distress to the local community and we will not tolerate this behaviour.

"If a group is gathered in the dispersal zone and they are involved in anti-social behaviour, or are causing problems or trouble for other people, then our officers have the power to order them to leave the area."