'Uncool' Manilow to battle yobs

Barry Manilow's latest album went to number one in the US in February

Barry Manilow has been enlisted to fight anti-social behaviour in Sydney, where his music will be piped into a car park to disperse youths.

Local councillors hope that "rev heads" will be put off from gathering where Manilow's music is played.

"Daggy music is one way to make the hoons leave an area because they can't stand the music," a local councillor told Sydney's Daily Telegraph.

Bing Crosby and music from the 1930s and 1940s will also be deployed.

The youths rev their engines, do wheelies and play loud music in the car park, officials said.

'Intimidating'

"They are just hanging out and causing a nuisance to the general public," councillor Bill Saravinovski said. "They are just intimidating."

The piped music will be played loud enough to disperse the youths but not too loud to annoy residents, he said.

"It will be all types of classical music and music that doesn't appeal to these people."

The six-month experiment in the suburb of Brighton-le-Sands will begin in July.

Manilow is best-known for his 1970s hits Mandy, Could It Be Magic and Copacabana.

He is currently enjoying a revival after his album The Greatest Songs of the Fifties, which went to number one in the US in February.