THE bell has sounded for open-air drinkers in the borough's six town centres.

Police and council bosses are calling time on street drinkingfrom Friday.

They want to crack down on drink-related violent crime and disorder through a ban in designated zones. These include the town centres of Bury, Radcliffe, Prestwich and Whitefield; a part of Radcliffe around Water Street; the vicinity of Heaton Park; parts of Ramsbottom and Holcombe Brook and Tottington village centre.

Police will have powers to confiscate alcohol from offenders, who could be fined £500 if they refuse to hand it over.

Licensed premises, including those with terraces and beer gardens, are exempt from the new law and temporary exemptions for special events will be available.

The scheme has been drawn up by Bury Community Safety Partnership and Greater Manchester Police.

In conjunction with Bury CSP, the council chose a list of public places which have been associated with drink-fuelled annoyance, nuisance or disorder in the past.

Councillor Stella Smith, executive member for environment and transport, said similar schemes in Greater Manchester had been successful in reducing drink-related crime. She added: "We are determined to make our communities more pleasant places. There is a minority of people who drink on our streets or take glasses or bottles with them from pubs and clubs and we hope these measures will drive them back off the streets.