​POLICE have been given new  powers to disperse mobs at Plymouth Argyle’s football ground  during home matches.

Plymouth City Council has  given officers the power to disperse crowds at Home Park and  its surrounding areas during  games so that groups of troublemakers can be broken up before they can confront opposing  fans.

It will be the 13th time that a  similar dispersal order has been  created at the football ground in  a bid to lessen incidents of hooliganism.

The new order was signed under  delegated authority by the council’s cabinet member for community services (safer and  stronger communities and  leisure, culture and sport) Cllr  Peter Brookshaw.

It will be in place between 8am  and 11.59pm from Saturday August 28 to Saturday January 29,  next year.

It will cover Home Park and the  surrounding area, bordered by  places like Weston Park Road,  Hyde Park Road, Mutley Plain,  North Hill, Alma Road, Wolseley Road and Weston Park  Road.

There have been 12 previous  dispersal orders for Home Park  since September 2004 and the  last one expired on Sunday May  2, as the football season drew to  a close.

The council said the orders have  mainly been used to ‘diffuse situations before they become  troublesome’ — but have also  resulted in four arrests for failing to disperse.

Cllr Brookshaw said: “These  dispersal powers have been extremely useful in helping the  police break up groups of troublemakers who loiter around  the ground with the sole intention of confronting opposing  fans.

“With early intervention these  groups are prevented from  growing in size to the point  where they can become extremely aggressive and volatile,  spoiling what should be an enjoyable family day out for the  majority of law abiding match  goers.”

The dispersal order will be used  by the police as part of a package  of measures designed to curb  anti-social behaviour and public  disorder on match days.

One of the measures sees officers from the Football Intelligence Unit using camcorders  to record incidents and identify  troublemakers. Another sees  the issue of civil banning orders  preventing troublemakers from  entering a designated area  around Central Park during  home games.