AFTER more than a week, West Mercia Police have finally admitted they were called to break up a gathering of 100 youths who had gathered on a Worcester playing field.

Despite initially saying they could find no record of attending the incident, a spokesman yesterday admitted more than 10 officers and the force helicopter were despatched.

We reported last week how officers were mystified about rumours of a riot on Diglis playing fields on Friday, October 2. Despite calls by your Worcester News to the police asking for details, we were told they could not find any record of the incident. Now they have discovered that officers were called to the gathering, allegedly organised on social networking website Facebook, just after 9.40pm.

The spokesman for south Worcestershire police said: “There was a large gathering of youths at the playing fields. Officers went there and dispersed the group. Some ran off. Officers searched the area to make sure everybody had dispersed.” The spokeswoman said one youth, believed to have been at the gathering, was reported to have been assaulted later that evening in Bath Road. He was taken to Worcestershire Royal Hospital and treated for minor injuries.

“Those people officers identified were sent anti-social behaviour letters to their parents,” she said.No arrests were made.

One anonymous youth, who was at the gathering, said: “There was no fighting, it was just teenagers from all over Worcester schools and colleges having a gathering. There were two little scraps which got split up straight away. The police caused more trouble than everyone on the field, as we were just all talking. Then when they arrived, everyone panicked and ran, which was a waste of police time trying to chase us for no reason.”

Anyone with information on the incident, or can identify any of the youths, is asked to call police on 0300 3333000.