NINE gang members who brought yob rule to the streets of a Bolton suburb have been given Anti-Social Behaviour Orders.

Police say the teenage thugs struck fear into the hearts of residents, causing some to flee their homes.

The situation came to a head when five members of the gang were involved in a violent confrontation with officers last Friday.

Two of the nine were already the subject of ASBOs. And last night police were serving the remaining seven with orders following an ASBO court hearing of unprecedented scale at Bolton Magistrates' Court yesterday.

Prosecutor Helen Gorman said: "These individuals have been running rampage and have total disregard for the police; community support officers and other people's rights.

"People have been attacked and left their homes because of them. Some businesses feel they will have to close and move away. We need to turn the tables on these individuals and use the ASBOs to protect the rest of the community."

Asbo hearings are normally heard on an individual level, but police and council chiefs - fearful there could be a repeat of last weekend's violence - worked together to use new fast-track powers, which allow them to apply for an ASBO in court without the subject being present.

Those mentioned in court have been given interim orders, which are used when police believe there is overwhelming evidence to support their call ahead of a full hearing. They are: Jonathon Tomlinson, aged 18, of Stockdale Grove, Breightmet; Daniel Naylor, aged 16, of Fountains Avenue, Tonge Moor; Ryan Walkden, aged 18, of Le Gendre Street, Tonge Moor; Steven Smith, aged 17 and brother, Simon Smith, aged 16, of Stockdale Grove, Breightmet; Robert Killen, aged 18, of Deepdale Road, Breightmet and Callum Walton, aged 17, of Mobberley Road, Breightmet.

All seven are banned from meeting each other in public, possessing alcohol in a public place other than on a licensed premises, being with two or more persons and behaving in a manner so as to cause harassment, alarm or distress to any other person, using or threatening violence, using threatening, abusive or foul language in public and damaging or threatening to damage property.

Daniel Naylor and Ryan Walkden are also banned from entering Breightmet.

Two ASBOs have already been served on youths described as the gang's ringleaders Christopher Sharples, aged 17, of Ennerdale Avenue, Breightmet and Peter Wright, aged 19, of Kentmere Road, Bolton.

Inspector Tony Kenyon of Bolton Police said: "There will be officers on patrol in the area to ensure these youths comply with the conditions of their ASBOs but we would encourage the public to report any breaches and we will act on them. We will also be visiting local businesses to inform them of the terms of the ASBOs."

Anybody who sees the youths breaching their ASBOs should contact police on 0161 856 5761.