A 24-HOUR dispersal order has been issued for Cwmbran Town Centre.

The dispersal order is now in effect and will be in place until 5.15pm tomorrow, Monday 24 May.

The order covers the area shown on the map including Cwmbran Town Shopping Centre and Cwmbran Retail Park.

The order gives officers extra powers to direct such groups to leave the area if their behaviour is likely to contribute to disorder or cause harassment, alarm or distress to members of the public. If they return to that area after being moved on, they face being arrested.

The order has been put in place following the arrest of nine teenagers on suspicion of violent disorder.

We received multiple calls from the public reporting a group of youths armed with weapons in the Wern Road area of Sebastopol at around 3pm today.

Armed officers attended the scene as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of the public and local officers.

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Those arrested remain in police custody.

A baseball bat and metal bars have been recovered. No injuries have been reported.

Chief Superintendent Mark Hobrough said: “This appears to be an isolated incident involving local youths. We have made a number of arrests and officers will be maintaining a visible presence in the area this evening to provide reassurance.

“This type of behaviour will not be tolerated by Gwent Police and we will take action against anyone intent on causing harm in our communities.

“We’d ask that parents ensure they know where their children are at all times, particularly while the dispersal order is in effect.”