Police warn parents after teenage drinking party

4:49pm Tuesday 24th June 2008

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POLICE have seized gallons of booze from teenage drinkers caught holding an impromptu party in a Frampton Cotterell park.

Between 80 and 120 school leavers had gathered in Centenary Park to down bottles of lager, cans of cheap cider and alcopops.

Police were quick to arrive on the scene before any trouble erupted but Sergeant Adrian Fallows said he was worried the large party could have led to young people taking drugs.

Sgt Fallows said: "We are really pleased with this seizure as it was a large quantity but that was only what we recovered, how much they ran off with we do not know.

"Quite often, having alcohol around can increase young people's opportunity to access things like drugs."

Twenty constables and police community support officers raced to the park at 10pm on Friday after several phone calls from worried residents.

They dispersed most of the teenagers and arrested a 17-year-old boy on suspicion of public order offences, who was later released without charge.

Sgt Fallows added: "There was a degree of disorder and local residents were worried because of the sheer number of people there.

"We are trying to get the point across to parents that if their children are going out do they know where they are and what they are doing?

"The message is quite simply do you know where your child is?"

The week before residents reported to police that a rave was taking place in Frampton Cotterell.

Added Sgt Fallows: "It is a recurring problem.

"We deal with school leavers one year and the next there is a different group of young people who are causing the same problems."