Police disperse house party crowd

About 200 people turned up to a teenager's house party which was understood to have been advertised on the internet, police have said.

Children as young as 12 were at the party, hosted by an 18-year-old man near Herne Bay, Kent.

About 25 officers, including some with dogs, brought the event to an end on Saturday night. No arrests were made.

Insp Gordon Etheridge said police would be meeting the 18-year-old and his parents to warn against future events.

The party was being held in an empty house understood to belong to the family of the teenager, who has not been named.

The house was becoming dangerously overcrowded when we took the decision to end the party Insp Gordon Etheridge

Insp Etheridge said officers were called by people concerned about the level of noise, and about revellers causing a nuisance.

Two rooms in the house in Coventry Gardens, Beltinge, were kitted out with music equipment, he added.

He said: "It was clear that there was a large amount of alcohol being consumed, some of it by under-18s.

"There was no effective adult supervision and the house was becoming dangerously overcrowded when we took the decision to end the party."

The crowd was escorted through Beltinge by officers and then dispersed into small groups.

The party was attended by people from as far away as Folkestone and Gravesend.