YOBS who continue to cause trouble in Colchester's Castle Park should be given yellow and red cards in a bid to deter them, a senior councillor has claimed.

The move has been mooted by Conservative group leader Darius Laws, who is one of three councillors who represent the town centre, and comes after a man was banned from the beauty spot for six months for his antisocial behaviour.

Mr Laws said: "I think the time has come that we need to get tough on people who are behaving this way in what is the jewel in Colchester's crown.

"I am very much in support of the council taking a zero tolerance approach to people who are being antisocial in the park.

"The council [an officer] is technically the licensee of the park we have the power to simply ban people.

"Where there are known people causing trouble, I have no problem with people just being banned."

The Tory boss said anyone who is proved to behaving inappropriately in the park should first be given a yellow card, to signify a warning, before being handed a red card.

That card would signify a ban, whether temporary or permanent.

He added: "The fact is, it is not ok to be shouting and using foul language when there are perhaps families and young children within earshot and we need to press that home.

"I do believe the police have a role to play in this but I also understand it won't be their priority.

"Our park wardens have body cams nowadays so at the very least behaviour can be recorded and used to either back up a ban or indeed a prosecution if the behaviour merits it."

Last week, the Gazette revealed a "young adult male" was banned from the park by Colchester Council after a spate of antisocial behaviour close to the sensory garden in the upper section of the park.

Police were called to the scene at the time but no arrests were made.