A HAMPSHIRE MP has urged parents to take responsibility for their children in the wake of news that teenagers are risking serious injury using a derelict hospital site for organised fights.

As revealed in the Daily Echo, police say they have found youths trespassing into the boarded up grounds of Moorgreen Hospital in West End who have been using it for fighting, drinking and taking drugs.

Mims Davies, MP for Eastleigh, called on parents to play their part in preventing such activities and ensure they know where they are.

“I’m very concerned because it’s a dangerous building and should anyone get hurt it would be difficult to potentially find them,” she said.

“It’s very important that parents and carers make sure they know where their youngsters are.”

Ms Davies, pictured below, spoke after the Daily Echo told how officers had issued a warning to parents to be on alert and be aware of where their children are in an effort to try to curb such behaviour particularly as the summer holidays approach.

Daily Echo:

As reported, police were called to stop an organised fight at the hospital, which spiralled from two people into many, no-one was seriously hurt.

Police have also had reports of anti-social behaviour, smashed windows and obscene graffiti at the site, off Botley Road, which they are called out to at least once a week and patrol regularly.

There is also concern about youngsters, who are coming from as far away as Hamble and, Sholing and Thornhill, using a disused building and that medics trying to help anyone injured in such activities could be put at risk too.

West End North ward councillor Bruce Tennent also voiced his concerns that young people could be injured.

He added that ironically there was the Poseidon boxing club just across the road at the Ageas Bowl cricket ground if youngsters wanted to pursue fighting.

“I’m concerned about kids playing in a derelict building – it should be closed off.

“If there’s no rules and they’re not wearing boxing gloves who knows – they could get injured. If kids are interested in fighting I suggest they go across to the boxing club.”

Cllr Tennent added that the activities were “unhelpful” for the building’s long-term future, “we’re trying to keep it for health reasons – it gives it more ammunition for the facility to be sold off and knocked down for housing,” he said.

The building is owned by the Homes and Communities Agency but is looked after by Barratt Homes, who have taken measures to improve security.

Anyone with information can call police on 101.

  • IT IS the hit film that showed no holds barred fighting.

But a borough councillor has warned that fighting is not as glamorous as it might appear on screen in films like Fight Club.

Daily Echo:

Brad Pitt and Edward Norton in Fight Club

Cllr Bruce Tennent said: “It may appear glamorous in films but it’s not something that I think young people should be doing.

“It’s not glamorous at all.”

Fight Club, released in 1999, stars Brad Pitt, Helena Bonham-Carter and Edward Norton.

It tells the story of a man, played by Norton, an insomniac who is discontented with his job as he forms a ‘fight club’ with soap salesman Tyler Durden, played by Pitt, in the basement of a bar.

Groups of men gather in the basement to fight one another recreationally.