Police have put a dispersal order in place to clamp down on Herne Bay's drunken and violent louts.

It came into effect on Friday night - just two days after a gang of up to 15 teenage thugs beat a man into a bloody pulp near the Saxon Shore pub in Central Parade.

The order, which lasts 48 hours, gives police officers extra powers to deal with anti-social or nuisance behaviour.

By 8.30pm on Saturday evening 16 orders had already been handed out to leave the area.

Lager and vodka was seized, with the eldest child just 15 years old.

Police said before this evening: "While the order is running, any person over 10 years of age can be directed to leave the locality and not return for a stated period of time if an officer or PCSO has reasonable grounds to suspect that behaviour has contributed, or is likely to contribute, to the public being harassed, alarmed or distressed."

The force also tweeted warnings that it would "take action on those causing anti-social behaviour" with the parents of nuisance youths receiving visits from officers.

On Wednesday night a gang of up to 15 youths, some thought to be as young as 14, were seen stamping on and kicking a man who lay on the ground close to the Clocktower.

Witness Hazel Gardiner heard a commotion and rushed out of the Saxon Shore pub to find a 19-year-old man covered in blood.

Mrs Gardiner, 50, told KentOnline: "There was a group of kids stamping on this guy's head and kicking him over and over.

"There were about 10 to 15 of them and they were as young as 14.

“The attackers had stamped on his head until he was pouring with blood and he could easily have died.

"He was unconscious with blood pouring from his ears and head.

“We can't just pretend it's not happening - we don't need this sort of thing, it's just horrible.”

The Herne Bay dispersal order will remain in place until Sunday.

Anyone who fails to leave after being ordered to do so, without a reasonable excuse, could face up to a a £2,500 fine or three months in prison.