Officers moved in on a number of groups on Richmond Riverside last night and enforced a dispersal zone.

It gives the police extra powers to move on unruly individuals and crowds of people.

The new zone covers much of the town centre and Old Deer Park and will last for 48 hours until 10.30pm on Sunday, August 2.

South Richmond police tweeted: "On the 31st of July at 22:30 a S35 Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014, Dispersal Order was authorised for the below area.

"A knife was found on Richmond Riverside."

It is unclear if the knife was found on someone's person or whether it was a discarded item.

In another tweet the force posted photos of around 8-9 officers walking past the war memorial, down the steps and onto the riverside area where a number of late night revellers can be seen.

The third photo shows the area cleared of all people.

While a dispersal zone is in place, it is a crime to:

Fail to comply with a direction given by a police officer or PCSO to disperse from the area

Fail to surrender items likely to cause anti-social behaviour, on request of a police officer or PCSO

Return within a specified period after being directed to disperse from the area.

The tactic has been used multiple times by Richmond Police in the past few months.

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