TWO 13-year-olds were arrested after police turned to emergency powers in a bid to cut antisocial behaviour in Colchester town centre.

Essex Police have put in place a dispersal order, covering the whole of the town centre, this weekend amid increasing concerns about large groups of youths congregating and committing antisocial behaviour.

The order came into place at 6pm on Friday and ends at the same time tonight. 

At the moment, a boy and a girl, both aged 13, are being quizzed by police after being arrested on suspicion of assault and breaching the order in Eld Lane last night. 

As well as the teens, town centre police also moved on five people over over the weekend.

The order gave officers and Police Community Support Officers the power to order groups of two people or more to leave an area immediately - and they cannot return for 48 hours.

Officers and PCSOs are also able to detain anyone under the age of 16 and return them to their home address or another "safe place".

Anyone who does not comply with a dispersal order can be arrested and taken to court.

The order covers the whole of the town centre, inside Balkerne Hill, Westway, Cowdray Avenue, East Street, Priory Street, St Botolph's Street and Southway.