’“IT was an hour of terror.”

Those are the words of a frightened family after a violent gang of gatecrashers invaded a Hampshire home during a schoolgirl’s birthday party.

One teenager was struck across the face while fences were smashed down and bottles broken as a group of 30 drunken revellers arrived and went on the rampage, even trying to batter their way indoors.

Keeya Saund and her friends barricaded themselves inside her Winchester home, as her brother and dad tried desperately to get rid of the 30-strong gang who had packed into their garden, having been evicted from another party close by.

Daily Echo:

‘Screaming’ Some of the 15-year-old’s friends, who were locked outside, banged on the doors, screaming to be allowed back in, as the gatecrashers, who had music blaring from a ghetto blaster, went on a wrecking spree, kicking in fence panels and throwing punches.

It was almost an hour before her dad Dr Peter Saund, her older brother Neel and his friends were able to boot the rowdy mob from their Sarum Road home, bringing what had been a perfectly normal party to an abrupt end.

The drama started to unfold on Saturday night at about 10.45pm, when a large crowd of teenagers, aged about 16 and 17, stumbled across Keeya’s 15th birthday disco in the double-garage of her family home, attended by 40 of her friends.

Daily Echo:

Dr Peter Saund inspects some damage after the party

Having read about hundreds of gatecrashers ruining a Hallowe’en party in neighbouring Chilbolton Avenue, Keeya and her family had taken precautions to prevent trouble, drawing up a guest list, stamping invited guests with crosses on the back of their hands and having her 18-year-old brother and seven of his friends as chaperones.

But even this did not stop the gang invading the party.

Suddenly eight of them had got inside, while others started streaming on to the property, causing panic among the young partygoers.

Neel and Keeya’s friends quickly managed to eject those uninvited guests from the house, locking the door behind them, but Neel and his friends were then confronted by the mob who had streamed into the back garden.

Neel, a student at Peter Symonds College, said: “It was total anarchy. They were really looking for a fight and we were totally outnumbered.

Daily Echo:

Damaged fence panels

“My house is my castle and was being violated by this gang of gatecrashers. It was ridiculous the way they were acting.

“It was an intimidating situation.”

Alerted by the drama going on downstairs by one of the worried party guests, Dr Saund went outside to help his son.

The sight of an adult got the gang moving, but as they went, they kicked in fence panels, trashed the garden by riding a bike across the grass and one of Neel’s friends was struck in the face.

Widower Dr Saund, a dental surgeon at Boyatt Wood Dental Practice, who recently flew out to Kenya to help train medics to treat those living in deprived areas, said: “It was an hour of terror.

Barricaded inside “My daughter and her friends barricaded themselves inside but some were left outside terrified and they started screaming to be allowed back in.

“They started to retreat but not without leaving a path of destruction behind.

Daily Echo:

“The girls were really shook up, but I am just relieved that nobody was injured.

“I’m really proud of how my kids stepped up to the mark and want to warn others that even parties in a quiet, leafy area like this can fall victim to gatecrashers.”

Keeya, a pupil at King Edward’s School, added: “It was scary when they got into the house. We were having a normal party but it got out of hand because of these stupid gatecrashers who were screaming, trying to get in.”

Police confirmed that they did receive a call about the incident and attended the scene but no arrests were made.