Staffordshire's Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has called on councils across the county to look at introducing bans on face coverings.

Stafford Borough Council is expanding a public space protection order to require people to remove face coverings when they are being used in connection with anti-social behaviour.

Commissioner Ben Adams welcomed the move and urged other councils in Staffordshire to follow Stafford's example.

Speaking at a meeting of the police, fire and crime panel, Mr Adams said that groups of masked youths on scooters and bikes in town centres were 'more than intimidating'.

He said he would be writing to all councils in Staffordshire to suggest they introduce similar PSPOs.

Mr Adams was speaking in response to concerns raised by Staffordshire Moorlands councillor Charlotte Atkins over 'youngsters on scooters and bikes' causing anti-social behaviour in town centres.

He said: "It's probably the thing I get more communication about than anything else at the moment.

Scooters, e-bikes, bikes, and particularly when they're ridden by youngsters who've decided they're going to hide their face.

"It's really intimidating – it's more than intimidating.

"My understanding is that Stafford borough have gone out to consultation on their public space protection order, and I believe the public response is in favour of a ban on face coverings in quite a large area of the town.

"I'm really very supportive of this.

"It means the police or council officers can approach somebody who is deliberately hiding their face – not for any legitimate reason, but they're causing anti-social behaviour, they're intimidating people – and they can ask them to remove the face-covering. If they don't they can be fined."

Stafford borough cllr Ian Fordham told the meeting that the public response to the expanded PSPO had been 'very supportive'.

The revised order is set to come into force in December.

Anyone who refuses to remove a face covering being used in connection with anti-social behaviour will receive a £100 fine.

But the borough council insists that anyone wearing face coverings who is not causing trouble will not be affected.

Nearly 400 people took part in a six-week consultation on the proposals over the summer, with 92 per cent backing the new face covering ban.

Mr Adams added: "We're going to write to every leader and every community safety portfolio holder to say we strongly recommend you introduce this into your local orders.

"That sort of intervention can make quite a big difference."

Similar orders have already been introduced in Wolverhampton and Nottingham.