POLICE in a leafy Birmingham suburb want to ban booze from the streets because of a “faction” of heavy drinking teenagers.

Officers based at Four Oaks in Sutton Coldfield said a hardcore of 14 to 19 year olds were responsible for yob behaviour and criminal damage, including attacks on members of the public.

They handed over a dossier of 66 crime reports in an application for the alcohol restriction zone, which Birmingham City Council’s licencing committee will decide on next Wednesday.

If approved, the order would ban anyone from drinking alcohol in public around trouble spots in Mere Green, Roughley, Hill Hook and Blake Street.

In the application PC Colin Berry, from Sutton Coldfield Police, said: “It has been identified that a faction of youths aged between 14 and 19 are responsible for the problems in the highlighted areas.

“The youths are purchasing alcohol from off-licences and consuming it in vast quantities in public places.

“The behaviour has escalated from throwing mud, snowballs and eggs at houses to youths running around the streets damaging vehicles by ripping off wing mirrors, wiper blades and kicking the body work.

“In February 2007, five vehicles were damaged in one night and in September six vehicles were damaged in one night.

“It is not only vehicles that have been targeted. The youths have stopped innocent people in the street and assaulted them for no reason, other than to show off to friends.

“On occasions these assault have been robberies. The injuries suffered by the victims have been horrific, including broken jaws and substantial wounds from glass bottles.

“Personal businesses have also been targeted with graffiti.”