Leave the area or you will be arrested - that is the no nonsense message to street drinkers and beggars in Norwich who are to be targeted as part of a new crackdown.

Police will be carrying out extra patrols in the city centre this weekend as part of a blitz which follows an increase in the number of complaints of anti-social behaviour involving aggressive begging and street drinking.

Anyone caught begging or drinking on the streets within the inner ring road area this weekend will be ordered to leave the area by officers for up to 48 hours.

Anyone who refuses to leave or breaches the order, known as a section 35 notice, will be arrested.

It comes after members of the public voted for begging and street drinking to be made a priority for the Norwich East Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT).

Sgt Mark Shepherd said: 'Complaints have increased about aggressive street begging and street drinking since the warmer weather has arrived. We've had several reports of groups gathering in the city centre, drinking and being aggressive towards members of the public.

'This dispersal authority will run from Saturday morning through to Sunday evening and allows officers to issue direction to leave notices immediately without getting authority from a supervising officer.

'This means we can deal with incidents promptly and effectively and anyone refusing to leave, or anyone who breaches the order, will be arrested.' The crackdown comes after the launch of Operation Wormington at the end of last year which has to date seen more than 100 warnings issued to persistent street beggars in Norwich.

It has resulted in a number of cases coming to court or being dealt with by police.

Lizzie Smith, 50, of no fixed address, was given a criminal behaviour order banning her from entering the city centre for three years while Morgan Jones, 33, of William Kett Close, Norwich and Simon Shingfield, 41, of Paragon Place, Norwich, have both been banned from having an open can of alcohol in Norwich for two years.