People carrying open cans or bottles of alcohol in Glasgow's streets and parks will be faced with a criminal record and a £500 fine from this weekend.

The new by-law comes into force on Friday, giving police the power to arrest those found in possession of open drinks containers.

Even if the can or bottle is empty, the by-law allows the police to make the presumption that it contained whatever alcoholic product it was designed to carry.

It is intended that the legislation will tighten the existing by-law, introduced 10 years ago, preventing the consumption of alcohol on the streets unless within a licensed area such as those which have sprung up outside city bars and cafes in recent years.

Until Friday, the police would have had to have witnessed the actual consumption.

The by-law states: "Any person who consumes alcoholic liquor in a designated place or is found to be in possession of an open container containing alcoholic liquor in a designated place shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 2 (£500) on the standard scale."

It adds: "A container which is found to contain no liquid or insufficient liquid shall be presumed to have contained at the time of the alleged offence liquid which conformed to the description of the liquid on the container."