Taxi drivers, pub landlords and councillors in Worthing have united to fight yob culture.

They are sick of vandalism and drunken behaviour in the town centre and have spent months discussing ways to tackle it.

Now the borough council has launched a taskforce to put tough new policies into action.

Councillor George Stephens said: "The purpose of this is to find measures to stop the vandalism and antisocial behaviour. It is a matter of great urgency.

"We want to send a message that if you are hell-bent on causing trouble, there is nowhere for you to drink in Worthing."

Licensees proposed there should be more taxis on the streets to take away revellers leaving pubs and clubs, staggered drinking hours and a linked radio system for licensed premises in the town.

Mr Stephens said: "One of the main concerns was that it was easy for people to get into the town by taxi or bus but they sometimes faced at least an hour wait for a taxi home. This would cause public order problems."

Further meetings were held with Worthing Taxi Association and private hire operators.

They agreed most yobbish behaviour took place on Friday and Saturday nights between 2am and 4am and that public order problems had risen by 20 per cent during the last 18 months.

The taxi association suggested the relocation of the taxi rank, more signs advertising the taxi rank and fewer burger vans.

Private hire operators asked for extra pick-up points for their vehicles and more police back-up.

Mr Stephens said: "We want pubs, clubs and transport operators to co-operate and make it impossible to cause trouble in the town centre.

"The Pub and Club Watch schemes will help this by preventing people from causing trouble in one place and getting into an other. We are determined to stamp out trouble."

Last week councillors approved a bid to ban street boozers through the use of bylaws.

Police could stop people drinking alcohol in designated areas and if they failed to surrender their drinks, the offenders could be arrested.

The powers were introduced by the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001.