Four teenagers have been fined after causing mayhem in Stafford town centre.

Each of the boys, aged between 13 and 16, were visited by council and police officers who issued them with £100 fixed penalty notices.

The fines were handed to either the teenagers themselves or their parents.

Since issuing the fines, the council has received further information about young people causing havoc in the town centre and will be paying them a visit.

The crackdown follows a number of complaints about groups of teenage lads intimidating shoppers, residents and visitors in the county town.

This has included throwing eggs at passing cars, attacking cyclists, and assaulting people.

Cllr Jill Hood, Cabinet Member for Communities, said: "Good, law-abiding residents are absolutely sick and tired of seeing these feral youths run amok and seemingly getting away with it.

"They have been spoken to, they have been signposted to alternatives other than hanging around the town in the evenings, but that's obviously not working and it is not fair that people have to suffer because of the unruly actions of a few.

"We will use what powers we have as a local authority and hit them with fixed penalties.

"If they don't pay, then we will prosecute.

"We have huge plans to transform our town, attracting investors and businesses and increasing footfall, and we don't intend to let that get derailed by those who couldn't care less who they hurt or intimidate."

The borough council recently announced the so-called 'balaclava ban' where those using face coverings in connection with ASB, criminal activity or behaviour causing harassment, alarm or distress could be asked to remove them, a move supported by more than 90 percent of those who responded to the survey.

Those who refuse to remove face coverings could be fined.

Cllr Hood added: "The fines were issued with the boys' parents in attendance, and I really hope that the mums, dads and guardians will be disgusted at what their children have been doing and support the action we are taking."

The fixed penalty notices were for breaching a Public Spaces Protection Order by being in a group of five or more causing anti-social behaviour.

More fines will be issued over the next few days.

For more information about Public Space Protection Orders, click here