GANGS of youths who were fighting, using cannabis and laughing gas sparked a police dispersal order on Southend seafront, according to seafront traders.

Huge numbers of sunseekers descended on the seafront yesterday and worried traders raised the alarm with police before the dispersal order was put in place.

The order is in place in Southend until 2am tomorrow and covers Eastern and Western Esplanade, Marine Parade and the High Street.

Police bosses say it comes in response to incidents of anti-social behaviour and concerns raised by traders along the seafront.

However, seafront traders have insisted gangs of youths were causing trouble and using drugs.

Paul Thompson, owner of Pebbles One Café, on the seafront said: “There were gangs abusing drugs, they were smoking cannabis and using laughing gas.

“Some of them then started fighting each other and we are talking about quite a lot of them.

“The gangs were fighting and is escalated a bit.

“Police were here and dealt with it quickly.”

He added: “I saw one or two fights and I was on a call about police work and some of my staff knocked on my door and told me they were concerned.

“I called the police about what was going on here.

“Police have done a great job with swift responses to it.

“I say well done to the police.”

Martin Richardson, owner of Happidrome Arcade said: “I was on a call and was told to look outside quickly and there was a huge police presence with about five cars outside my business.

“I saw lots of gangs just running about the seafront.”

Acting Insp Dave Gardiner, of the Southend Community Policing Team, said: “We began to see groups of males arriving at the train station and along the seafront in the middle of the afternoon and received multiple calls from business owners who expressed their unease.

“We will take robust action against anyone behaving anti-socially or committing acts of violence.

“There will be a considerable police presence across the city and we will be working with the council’s CCTV operators and our colleagues at the British Transport Police to identify troublemakers and prevent them from spoiling the evening for the law-abiding majority.”

The dispersal order means officers will be able to ask troublemarkers to leave the seafront and stay away until it has ended.

Police have the power to arrest anyone choosing not to comply with the terms of the order.

It is the second time Essex Police has issued a dispersal order along Southend seafront this month.

An order was enforced overnight on July 10 in response to “minor”

incidents of anti-social behaviour.