A GROUP of youths have been causing chaos in the town centre over the past few weeks.

The youngsters have thrown objects, including potatoes, at shop windows and even assaulted an elderly woman in Belle Vue Terrace, Malvern.

But police officers recently clamped down on the behaviour with dispersal orders, which can be used to expel potential offenders from specified areas.

PC Susan Parr, of Priory and Wells Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: "We have had problems with youths throwing things - stones, rocks and potatoes.

"One premises on Worcester Road, plus two in Church Street, have sustained damage.

"The group is a mix of male and females. I've been here for five-and-a-half years and we haven't really had problems like this before."

The youngsters have been blamed for 12 incidents in the town centre between Wednesday, October 25, and Monday, November 6.

PC Parr said the majority of incidents have involved four youths or less, although as many as eight threw potatoes at shop windows on Saturday, October 28.

She said decisive police action had resulted in a 'period of calm' and the last incident happened on November 6.

A dispersal order was enforced in the town centre from 2pm on Saturday, November 4, to 2pm on Monday, November 6.

A second order was in place on the evening of November 6, when officers asked two teenage girls to leave a premises.

Police are appealing for information about a girl who hit an elderly lady in Belle Vue Terrace at around 3.45pm on Friday, November 3.

Anyone that witnessed the assault can ring 101 quoting incident number 0156s.

If you have further information about the spate of anti-social behaviour you can also report it to the police on 101.