A CRACK down to stop children as young as 10 drinking alcohol has been launched.

Groups of more than 50 young people, both boys and girls, aged between about 10 and 19, have been congregating at the bottom of Longboat Lane in Stourport on Friday evenings over the last few weeks, leading to complaints from local residents.

On one night there were an estimated 80 to 90 young people present.

Police have now launched Operation Metro to tackle the problem, and are seizing and pouring away the alcohol.

"We want to ask parents where their children are on a Friday evening and what sort of state they are coming home in," said local policing officer PC Andy Brooks- Davies.

"It is possible these youngsters are saying they are a friend's house, and their parents genuinely don't know what they are up to."

Using powers under the Confiscation of Alcohol (Young Persons) Act to seize wine and beer, and pour it away front of them, officers are hoping to drive home the message that drinking it literally like putting money down the drain.

Police are also urging off-licences not to sell alcohol to under 21s, especially when staff suspect it is being bought for under 18s.