HUNDREDS of yobs have been caught urinating in the streets around the city's Old Firm football stadiums.

The Evening Times can ­reveal more than 400 people have been caught ­urinating near Ibrox and Parkhead in the last five years.

Official figures show the offence has rocketed around Ibrox Stadium.

There has been a 95% increase in drunken yobs caught urinating in public in four streets around Rangers' ground in the past year.

According to police figures obtained by the Evening Times, a total of 165 tickets for £60 were issued to people caught relieving themselves near Ibrox.

Streets around Celtic Park have also been affected by the scourge of public urinating.

Figures for the offence, usually punished by a fixed penalty notice, show 255 were caught urinating in Parkhead streets.

London Road was by far the East End's urination hotspot, with 83% of offences since 2009/10 taking place there.

Superintendent Thom McLoughlin believes the tactic of hammering "minor ­offending" is keeping people in Glasgow safe. He has vowed to target drunken yobs who urinate in city streets. He said: "Offences like public urination and street-drinking need to be nipped in the bud early doors.

"I can guarantee those who are stopped for these offences would be the same people who will be ­involved in violent crime later on in the night.

"Early intervention really is key to making a difference. A £60 fine can sting, but it's better than a jail sentence."

Hotspot areas around Ibrox Stadium include ­Edmiston Drive, Broomloan Road, Copland Road, and Helen Street.

Between them, they had more than 160 public urination offences in the past five years. In 2012/13, figures reached a four-year low, with 20 incidents recorded.

However, Police Scotland data reveals officers have recorded 39 incidents, in the same area, since April 2013.

Across the city, extra ­police patrols have been stepped up in anti-social ­behaviour hotspots.

Incidents around Celtic's ground - including in Kerrydale Street, Janefield Street and Springfield Road - were also recorded.

However, official figures show the offence has fallen by 48% in the last year around Parkhead.

In 2012/13, front-line officers recorded 68 incidents of public urination in the four streets closest to Celtic Park.

That figure dropped to 40 in the last year.

rebecca.gray@eveningtimes.co.uk