A group of 50 teenagers were dispersed after being caught drinking in Lyndhurst High Street after being kicked out of a party

Officers were called to break up a group of around 50 teenagers who had gathered in Lyndhurst High Street after being kicked out the party.

Many of them had been drinking and were carrying bottles of alcohol including neat vodka, with parents seen dropping their youngsters off earlier in the evening with booze, said Hampshire police.

The incident had led police to issue a warning to warn parents of the perils of giving their children alcohol while they are not supervised, particularly ahead of the festive season.

Officers found the large group of youths while on patrol on Saturday night.

Sergeant Chris Taylor, from Hythe Police, said some of the youngsters were aged 16 and were carrying bottles of beer as well as neat spirits, such as vodka.

He said they had been at a house party which got “out of hand” when uninvited youngsters turned up from as far away as Totton.

When the parent of the teenager holding the party came home, they turfed the party-goers out with the large group loitering in the street near to the Post Office.

He said the group was “generally rowdy”, although there were no reports of any crimes being committed, and police officers dispersed the crowd.

When some parents came to take their children home, they told Sgt Taylor they had seen other parents dropping youngsters earlier in the evening with alcohol.

Sgt Taylor said: “The warning would be that if parents want to responsibly manage their children's introduction to alcohol, they should consider that it can get out of control when it's not supervised.

“Many of the youngsters, when we dispersed them, went to Bolton's Bench, and the council had to go there the following morning to clear away glass and rubbish.

“Parents have got to think about the risk young people put themselves in when they are that intoxicated, they could be at risk of crime themselves.”

What's the law on giving booze to kids?

Anyone who buys or attempts to buy alcohol for someone under the age of 18 can be fined a maximum of £5,000.

It is not illegal for a child aged five-16 to drink alcohol at home or on other private premises.

Youngsters aged 16 or 17 can drink (but not buy) beer, wine or cider if they go out for a meal with an adult.

A recent poll by the charity Drinkaware found that nearly half of parents felt comfortable giving their teenagers alcohol to take to a party.

On average they are handed nine units of alcohol - roughly the equivalent of four cans of beer, a third of a bottle of vodka or an entire bottle of wine.