POLICE have put up bilingual signs in Polish and English, warning nuisance Worcester street drinkers not to break open the booze in public.

The signs are now being placed at hotspots around the city as part of Operation Spartacus, which officers say has slashed alcohol-related anti-social behaviour since it launched last October.

The signs warn in both languages that drinking in the alcohol free zone can result in an on-the-spot £60 fine and the seizure of alcohol, including unopened bottles and cans.

They can also be served with a dispersal order, arrested, or even given a criminal anti-social behaviour order if their behaviour persists.

Sgt Carl Jones said police wanted to ‘refresh’ people’s memory about reporting anti-social behaviour as the days grow hotter and the evenings longer, and said ‘it is never a waste of time to report it’.

PC Alex Denny began putting up 30 of the plastic, weather-proof signs yesterday in areas including Sansome Place, Tallow Hill and Lowesmoor, which have drawn complaints from residents or businesses.

PC Denny said: “There is a reasonable proportion of people we encounter in this locality who are Polish but all the signage we have is in English and they may not be aware they are drinking in an alcohol-free zone. The idea of this is to raise awareness to prevent people violating the conditions.

“Worcester is a multicultural city and there are people of a variety of nationalities living in the Lowesmoor area, which is a positive reflection on the city. A number of the drinkers we encounter are English males but there are also Polish males. What we are trying to do is make the legislation more easily understandable to the people we encounter. If we can educate people rather than reprimand them then that is something we would rather do."