GANG warfare was arranged on two Andover estates last week in a call to arms issued through mobile phones.

As many as 60 Andover teens phoned or texted each other on mobiles to arrange two separate brawls with knives, baseball bats and tree branches. The teenagers, boys and girls were all aged between 13 and 16.

Some came from the nearby Kids Church Night Base at Enham Arch.

Around 30 youngsters met for a pre-planned fight on River Way at 8pm on 4 May and between 45 and 60 met for a battle on King Arthur's Way at 7.30pm on 5 May.

It is not clear why they were fighting, but staff at the Kids Church youth club say it was triggered by a previous incident at the Night Base that escalated.

Weapons were seized on both occasions by Andover police officers, who received tip-offs that a large-scale fight was planned.

They used stop and search powers to thwart the planned violence and later issued a stern warning about the youngsters' behaviour.

Sgt Ian Whyton, of Andover police station, said: "This could have led to the death of someone. It was pre-planned disorder that could have got out of hand.

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