Police dispersal order in Failsworth after youth disorder

Police have slapped a dispersal order on Failsworth after reports of youth disorder and criminal damage left local businesses and residents fed up. The Section 35 order, which kicked in at noon on Saturday and runs until 7am Sunday, gives officers the power to boot troublemakers out of the Partington Street area, covering Brierly Avenue, Lord Lane and Ashton Road East.

Inspector Matthew Catlow from GMP's Oldham division said the move was necessary after groups of youths were spotted causing damage to a local business and making life miserable for neighbours. It's the second such order in the area recently, following a similar crackdown in Rochdale earlier this month.

The order means police can now exclude individuals from the designated zone during the specified times, giving them extra teeth to deal with anti-social behaviour. Catlow was clear that this isn't just about reacting to problems-it's about preventing them too, with officers working alongside local partners on longer-term solutions.

For Failsworth residents, it means a temporary but targeted police presence in their neighbourhood. Whether it's enough to curb the yob behaviour that's been causing headaches for businesses and scaring locals remains to be seen, but the message from police is blunt: anti-social behaviour won't be tolerated.