POLICE in East Oxford are extending patrols in the early hours of Thursdays after a flood of complaints about rowdy students.

Officers said they had listened to residents’ complaints about the problems in the area and had decided to keep extra officers on patrol until 4am, instead of 2am.

Residents said shouting, swearing and house parties, vomit, vandalism, litter and people urinating in their front gardens had been constant problems since students returned to the city after their summer break last month.

They said the worst time of the week was in the early hours of Thursday, when hundreds of students head home from the Fuzzy Ducks student night, at the O2 Academy club, in Cowley Road, which ends at 2am.

Sgt Lewis Boyce, of the East Oxford neighbourhood police team, who led the first extended patrol this week, said having more officers on the streets for a longer period should encourage students to curb their behaviour.

He said almost all of those attending the Fuzzy Ducks events were Oxford Brookes University students.

Sgt Boyce said: “I hope the students will see us and realise it’s not clever to behave in this way. If their offending is serious enough, we can report them to court if there are people causing a continuous disturbance.”

Insp Marc Tarbit, head of the neighbourhood team, said: “Although we don’t object to people enjoying themselves, we take seriously any behaviour that impacts on the quality of life of local communities.

“We’re working closely with residents’ associations, Brookes University and the O2 Academy to identify a long-term solution, to prevent further conflict.”

Elizabeth Mills, chairman of Divinity Road Area Residents’ Association, called on the club to provide buses to take the students home, and said the university should take a tougher stance with troublemakers.

She said: “Whether this will make a difference I don’t know, but it’s a very encouraging reaction from the police.

“East Oxford has become a destination for hooliganism. We’re living in half-million-pound slums.

“It would be fabulous to have them stopping at midnight, so when they go home it’s not completely disruptive to our night’s sleep.”

Oxford Brookes University is paying for two Pcsos, who began patrols in September. Their normal schedule sees them work until midnight. Oxford police commander Supt Amanda Pearson said their role in the police team had allowed changes to police officers’ rotas to provide the extended cover.

Joe Roberts, general manager of the O2 Academy, and chairman of East Oxford Pub Watch, said: “The O2 Academy consistently aims to improve methods of crowd dispersion from outside our venue and we always increase security numbers on late night trade.

“We close at 2am on Wednesdays and we actively work together to disperse customers in an orderly manner, communicating messages to respect local residents when leaving the venue at this time.”

Oxford Brookes University said it had nothing to add