Ben White, 17, and his brother Robert, 15 were made the subject of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs), excluding them from areas of Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.

The orders, first imposed in 1999 after police received a series of complaints, banned the pair from the seaside town's Bournville estate, where they lived.

Solicitors acting on behalf of the brothers launched a Crown Court appeal against the terms of the ASBOs in April.

The council's position is that the boys should not return to the Bournville estate.

Ian Wightwick

But on Friday, Bristol Crown Court was told that the appeal was withdrawn earlier this week.

Ms Kathleen Smoker, for the White brothers, indicated that she was instead now considering making an application to magistrates to vary the conditions of the ASBOs.

"A sensible course of action would be to go back to magistrates' court and ask them to consider an application for variation of the orders made on 19 March this year," she said.

Ms Smoker also said she had applied for a judicial review of the case.

Iain Wightwick, for North Somerset District Council, said it would fight any application the White brothers might make in the magistrates' court to vary the terms of the ASBOs.

"It has always been the council's position that the boys should not return to the Bournville estate," he said.

In March, Robert White - who admits shoplifting, fighting and stealing cars since the age of 12 because he was "bored" - told the Kilroy TV programme that he was "determined to change".

Ben told the same programme he had been involved in shoplifting, theft and vandalism, claiming there was "nothing to do" in Weston and adding he was "no good" at anything.