DRUNKEN louts are to be driven out of Crewe Cemetery after the council made it an alcohol-free zone by imposing a drink ban last week.

There is also an alcohol ban in the town's Jubilee Gardens in Hightown in what Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council hopes will put an end to drunken behaviour that intimidates visitors and has led to vandalism and other criminal activities.

The measures to improve the cemetery are being supported with the employment of five wardens who will patrol the area to rid it of anyone behaving in an antisocial manner.

"We have imposed the ban to deter people who make life a misery for those who want to pay their respects in the cemetery," said Doug Butterill, the council's portfolio holder for the environment.

"We have also recruited five wardens who will enforce the ban and they will come into action after they have completed a week-long intensive training course which will be starting on June 23."

And that is not where the council's plans stop to enforce the ban, as it tries to employ at least another warden to patrol the cemetery and also Queens Park.

Cllr Butterill added: "We are looking to employ more wardens but it is not as easy as it sounds. It is a case of advertising and seeing what turns up because they have to be suitable but they are not easy vacancies to fill.

"However, we expecting a lot from those that we have taken on. Their uniforms are not too dissimilar to the police's and they will have similar powers too."