Hundreds of teenagers wreaked havoc in a UK seaside town on Friday night after a house party invitation went viral, sparking chaos on a normally quiet residential street.
Emergency services rushed to the scene in Worthing, West Sussex at around 10.30pm after reports of a violent attack on a 18-year-old man on South Street, in the Tarring area of the city.
Sussex Police confirmed that a dispersale order was put in place, and more than 300 teenagers were moved on from the area. The teenager was rushed to hospital after the assault which took place on a neighbouring street just metres from where the party earlier took place on Poulter’s Lane – where the average home costs more than £500k, The Telegraph reports.
More than 300 teenagers were dispersed by police from the “out of control” party, while neighbours were left shocked as their Friday night soon descended into chaos, as swarms of uninvited guests – many of them schoolchildren – filled up the street. Pictures posted on social media showed huge crowds standing outside the front of the house and in gardens all along the street.
Dozens of police cars and officers arrived on the scene and issued a dispersal order which gives the police extra powers to disperse groups causing a nuisance, harassment or distress under anti-social behaviour laws.
Officers tried several tactics to break up the party, it is understood, including using megaphones, the dispersal order, and shutting the road to try and herd the hundreds of teenagers wandering the street away from the area.
One eyewitness described the scene as “chaotic” and said it “took several hours and a lot of manpower to resolve”.
It is understood that police from across the county were redeployed to the area to get the gathering under control, which it eventually was.
The party took place at a house on Poulters Lane, where the average price of property was £565,000 over the last year, according to online real estate website, Right Move.
A Sussex Police spokesperson said officers were first called to the scene shortly after 8pm due to reports of anti-social behaviour.
They added: “Officers were quickly on scene and a Section 34 Dispersal Order was authorised, giving officers and designated police staff the power to disperse individuals behaving in an anti-social manner. The party was dispersed, and the area was cleared.”
“Following the incident, police received a report of an 18-year-old man who was assaulted at around 10.30pm in South Street, Tarring. As a result of his injuries, he was taken to hospital and enquiries are ongoing to identify the suspect.”
One passer-by told The Telegraph the incident was “chaotic”, adding that it “took several hours and a lot of manpower to resolve”.
Officers from police forces in surrounding counties were called to assist with the incident, it has been reported.
Witnesses or anyone with any information is asked to contact Sussex Police online or call 101 quoting serial 1474 of 23/02.
