POLICE were called to an estate after 80 youths were found drinking alcohol in the woods.

On Friday evening officers were called after reports were made of dozens of youths drinking alcohol and causing anti-social behaviour.

The youths were seen heading from the Burton Woods estate down to Pebble Beach in Spennymoor.

Upon arrival the group made off from officers and two males were left behind, vulnerable due to the amount of alcohol they had consumed, police said.

Officers called for the assistance of paramedics due to the males being semi-conscious.

The field was left full of empty beer bottles and other rubbish.

Spennymoor Police said: "At a time when emergency services are stretched, this incident meant that paramedics and several police officers were tied up for nearly three hours when they could have been better utilised."