WINCHESTER civic chiefs have extended the alcohol exclusion zone to cover the whole of the city - but it won't prevent residents from drinking in public.

The police say they will only order people to stop drinking in public if they're a public nuisance.

The city council has greatly increased the size of the zone from solely the city centre to now cover all the suburbs including Winnall, Highcliffe, Stanmore, Hyde, Weeke, and parts of surrounding parishes including Oliver's Battery, Badger Farm, Littleton, Harestock and Headbourne Worthy.

Sandra Tuddenham, city council community safety officer, said: "People will still be able to have family picnics. The police only have powers when drinkers are causing harassment, nuisance or alarm."

She said the extension was requested after the initial limited zone merely displaced drinkers to North Walls park and the Hyde area.

Ms Tuddenham added: "We are fairly confident this new area is sufficient to deal with any displacement."

But the Winchester Drug and Alcohol Reference Group opposed the move without a specialist alcohol outreach worker to help problem drinkers.

Mike Webb, chairman of DARG, said: "It was a key understanding that both actions needed to go together in order to be able to offer the street drinkers a way to break the cycle they're in."

The university is also opposed it. Tommy Geddes, pro vice-chancellor, said the zone, which will cover the West Downs student village and the Dytche open space on the main campus, was unnecessary as it could police any problems itself.