PARENTS have been blamed for fuelling boozy behaviour in a park by supplying their children with bags of alcohol.

Police say that adults are buying drink for their children and then dropping the youngsters off at Witton Park, Blackburn, for the evening.

Officers have been carrying out a crackdown on underage drinking in the park following a catalogue of complaints about vandalism and anti-social behaviour caused by gangs of youths.

But after a drunken 13-year-old girl was found slumped unconscious in the park, police have warned irresponsible parents that youngsters are being put in danger.

Community beat manager for the area, PC Lisa Walmsley-Avci (CORR) said: "Over recent months, the park has become a gathering place for youngsters drinking alcohol, littering and causing a general nuisance.

“They are arriving loaded with bags of alcohol and we are aware that some parents are dropping their children off at the park with this alcohol which is totally irresponsible."

The teenage girl was found by two PCSOs earlier this month. She was carried from the park and taken home, but police said her situation could have been 'much worse' if she had not been discovered when she was.

On the same night, officers seized 25 cans, three bottles of spirits and three bottles of Lambrini from children. They also stopped several large gangs of 15 or more youths from entering the park and caused a gang of around 30 to flee after surprising them in the sandbank area close to the Tower Road entrance.

Mounted officers have been used to patrol the parks as part of the stepped-up operation over the past two weeks, which coincided with the national Not in My Neighbourhood Week.

Almost 30 youth referral forms have been issued - which allow police to keep an eye on a youngster's behaviour - and an adult was given a penalty notice for buying alcohol for a child.

Coun Michael Lee, whose Beardwood with Lammack ward includes the park, said: "I have been out with beat officers where they have confiscated alcohol from young people - even very young people. It is frustrating that this sort of thing is going on with parental knowledge. The kids are being allowed to do what they want as long as they aren't going it at home."

PC Walmsley-Avci said: “This kind of behaviour, from both the parents and their children, is totally unacceptable and we will not tolerate it. The children have been causing a real nuisance to people in the area and I want to reassure local residents that we are putting extra patrols in place to make sure we put a stop to it.

“Parents must act responsibly and make sure they know where their children are on a Friday and Saturday night. This is not just harmless fun. This is serious and can have very serious consequences for those involved. We need to work with parents to stop this behaviour from continuing.”

One resident said Friday nights had “become like Reading Festival”.

He added: “Its a regular thing to hear groups of teenagers aged from 13 to about 17 singing and shouting.

“They throw their cans all over the place and litter it up.”

Another resident, who did not want to be named, said: “I wish they weren’t there - there are a lot of raised voices.

“Adults these days don’t seem to want to approach them.”

Police are asking anyone who sees further disorder on the park to contact them on 01254 51212.