POLICE are mystified over why Trimley has become a magnet for boozing teenagers – though they have found out how the drink is being supplied.Hordes of youngsters from all over the Felixstowe area are gathering in the village for under-age drinking sessions.

By Richard Cornwell

POLICE are mystified over why Trimley has become a magnet for boozing teenagers – though they have found out how the drink is being supplied.

Hordes of youngsters from all over the Felixstowe area are gathering in the village for under-age drinking sessions.

They have been meeting on Stennetts Memorial Playing Field, in bus shelters and on St Mary's Green, with the police constantly moving them on and never allowing them to settle.

Trimley beat bobby Pc Dave Gledhill said some 18 year olds, older friends of the youths, collected the cash from them and then used scooters to go to local shops to buy the alcohol and transport it back to the youngsters.

"They all chip in and off the lads on the scooters go off. We sat in the darkness watching and when they came back we took the drink off them and poured it away," said Pc Gledhill.

"Then we watched again, and did exactly the same thing when the next lot of drink was delivered. We confiscated a very large amount of alcohol and they ran out of money before we ran out of patience.

"What we cannot understand is why all the youngsters from this area gather in Trimley – even from as far as Old Felixstowe.

"I cannot see the attraction of standing on Stennetts recreation ground in the dark and rain, on a cold December night, drinking. It beats me."

Police have found groups of around 30 youngsters drinking on Friday and Saturday nights.

"It is quite alarming that some of them are as young as 13, drinking alcohol and spirits such as vodka. We do have our suspicions where they are getting the drink from and we are in the process of cutting off the supply," he said.

Letters had been sent to parents and families had been very supportive. Some of the teenagers had been placed on the youth nuisance register.

"A lot of the time though parents are not aware of what their children are doing," he said.

"We now ring them from the roadside and tell them that their child is in Trimley lashed up on vodka and beer and not round the friend's house playing on the computer like mum and dad thought. The kids get together and work out these stories but they fall foul when we catch them.

"The parents are very supportive and they come immediately and take them away and we don't often see those youngsters drinking on the streets again."

Pc Gledhill said many residents were aware and appreciative of the action being taken by the police and there had been many favourable comments. The number of incidents of disorder and damage in the village had dropped.