A crackdown on anti-social street drinking in Worthing comes into force on April 9.

Worthing Borough Council was overwhelmingly backed by the public after unveiling details of the initiative last year.

Council chief executive Sheryl Grady said: "The aim of the order is to control more effectively situations in which alcohol-related nuisance or annoyance has been regularly caused to people in a public place.

"The purpose of this greater control is to reduce anti-social behaviour, including violence, criminal damage and disorderly behaviour caused by drunkenness.

"This does not mean drinking alcohol in public areas in the designated zone will become illegal.

"However, refusal to comply with a police officer's request to stop drinking or to surrender opened containers of alcohol will becomes an arrestable offence, with the possibility of prosecution and a fine."

The zone's boundaries will be Heene Road, the railway line, Homefield Road-Farncombe Road and the sea.

The order, made under the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001, covers all streets, parks, open spaces, surface car parks, the seafront, pedestrian precincts and alleyways.

Critics fear the move will push street drunks out to the suburbs but the council said it would look at extending the zone if this happened.

The council is also seeking sponsorship from pubs and clubs for bottle bins in which drunks can put their opened containers.