POLICE are appealing to parents for help in tackling a rise in under-age drinking offences.

Parents are being sent cautionary letters spelling out that if warnings go unheeded their offspring will go to court, where they face a possible curfew order and restrictions on their movements.

The kid gloves are coming off after local beat police confiscated an estimated £200 worth of alcohol from juveniles in three Friday nights in parts of Billingham.

The seized alcohol ranges from lager and beer to vodka and alcopops; a haul they fear is just the tip of the iceberg.

Cleveland Police are not only concerned about teenagers committing public order offences, but the health issues involved.

Inspector Steve Bakewell said: "Over the past three Friday nights Billingham community team policing officers have confiscated large quantities of alcohol from under-18s and in some cases from 18-year-olds where officers believed the alcohol may be consumed by the under-18s.

"Drinking is not a new thing, but some youngsters are clearly not aware of the dangers and pitfalls associated with consuming alcohol."

Recently, a 14-year-old and a 15-year-old collapsed, on separate occasions in the Casson Way area of the town's High Grange estate and had to be taken to hospital.

Insp Bakewell said: "This raises important health issues for young people, some of whom seem intent on damaging themselves.

"On other occasions police detained two youths in the Billingham Beck Valley Ecology Park area who were armed with offensive weapons and had been drinking. They were intent on fighting other youths in the area."

Just over a week ago, youths aged 14 to 16 were detained following reports of extensive damage to property in the Low Grange area. They were not only drunk but were carrying fresh supplies of drink.

The inspector said: "The police are asking for the cooperation of parents to try to reduce these type of incidents.

"Letters are being sent to parents whose son or daughters are stopped and checked by officers and who are associated in some way with the possession or consumption of alcohol."

He warned: "If some young people don't respond positively then more serious consequences may result in the future."